PSPCA rescues 26 dogs during raid in Olney

The PSPCA rescued 26 dogs from a home on 8th Street near Loudon in Olney Thursday, and said the animals were likely part of an illegal breeding operation.

Officers worked from Thursday night into the early hours of Friday morning removing 18 dogs and eight puppies from the house, said Wendy Marano, a PSPCA spokeswoman.

James Hines, 48, and Denekei Lawson, 39, are likely to be arrested on animal cruelty charges, Marano said. Both have been arrested on animal cruelty charges before, according to court documents.

Hines was arrested on 26 counts of animal cruelty in September of 2008, and four counts of animal cruelty in June of 2009, according to court records. The charges were withdrawn in each incident.

Lawson was arrested on animal cruelty charges in September of 2008, and again in September of 2009. He pled guilty both times, was fined $500 and was put on probation, according to court records.

Officers removed pit bulls, a german shepherd a bulldog and other breeds, Marano said.

Some of the dogs will undergo medical treatment, and an 8-month-old puppy will need surgery to repair a broken jaw, she said.

George Bengal, director of Humane Law Enforcement, said the house had been under investigation for five months.

"Due to the amount of complaints we've received about these suspects selling sick dogs, we were glad that we were able to rescue them from the conditions they were living in," he said.

"Although the dogs are not currently available for adoption, our goal is to eventually get all of these dogs into good loving homes."