Dog found dead, several others seized from York County home

York County Animal Control officers seized several dogs from a Sharon home where another dog was also found dead, according to the York County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies and animal control officers met last week with three neighbors at a home on the 3900 block of Hord Road, according to a sheriff’s report. A dog described as a pit bull or pit bull mix was fastened to a heavy log chain about 9 feet long connected to a tree in the front yard.

The dog had no shelter from the steady rain that was falling and was surrounded by 2 to 3 inches of mud from the days of rain before, deputies said. The dog had no place out of the mud to stand except for some boards provided by animal control officers, and there was also a “strong unpleasant odor” in the area.

Five other dogs of the same breed were living under “the same conditions” at the house, deputies said. Another dog corralled onto the porch by officers had been running loose when they arrived.

One of the dogs was dead near the front door of the home, the report states. He had dark stains on his head, neck and chest area.

Officers talked with neighbors and determined no one lived at the home. Deputies say neighbors were not forthcoming with information on the identity of the dog’s owner, but one man who walked up later said he knew the owner’s first name but not how to get in touch with him.

Deputies said their findings at the home are “a clear violation” of the state statute on animal abandonment.

A spokesman for the sheriff’s office said Tuesday that investigators are still trying to locate the dogs’ owner.

This story was originally published January 5, 2016 at 11:42 AM with the headline "Dog found dead, several others seized from York County home."