Burgess pleads in dog shelter case

TROY - A New Carlisle man accused of running a dog rescue and adoption center in Piqua before city officials shut it down after it was declared a public nuisance and health hazard pleaded guilty Monday as charged to a total of 14 misdemeanor counts following a pretrial hearing in municipal court.

Jeff Burgess, 57, the former owner of One More Chance Rescue and Adoption, once located at 125 Clark Ave., entered the guilty pleas to a variety of related counts of animal cruelty and violations regarding rabies, immunization, quarantine and unsanitary conditions, in addition to three other counts related to prescription drugs found inside the facility back when it was raided last November.

A presentence investigation was ordered, but no sentencing date was set…

…Only a few dogs died, and all other dogs were adopted out to happy homes, officials with the clean up process said…more

Bird activists present petition to Ohio officials

On Tuesday, 2News learned the birds taken from a condemned home would be returned to owner, Doug Ratcliff…

Activists with Garuda Aviary presented a petition to Ohio officials with more than 1500 signatures of people from Ohio and around the world who want the birds out of Ratcliff's possession.

The Maryland based group took a copy of the petition, as well as photographs of the birds to Governor Kasich's office in Columbus. The group then traveled to Troy, where they left the same documents with the mayor, city commissioner, and county prosecutor…see video

Animal shelter inspections not required in Ohio

Local officials said the recent removal of more than 650 dogs and cats from rescue shelters in Huber Heights, Bethel Twp. and Piqua because of poor living conditions and neglect highlight a loophole in Ohio law that does not require shelters to be inspected.

Animal advocates and officials said that even shelter operators with the best intentions can accept too many animals and become overwhelmed, which can result in the animals suffering serious neglect.

“Other states have some

stringent inspection requirements,”

said Mark Kumpf, director of the Montgomery County Animal Resource Center.

“We don’t have those here in Ohio.”

In another neglect case, a few of the 50 exotic birds found at a home in Troy are being cared for on the property by the Miami County Humane Society. Officials said charges could result from their ongoing investigation…more

Exotic birds found in house relocated

…Union Township Trustee Phil Mote - the jurisdiction under which the house is located in - said the trustees have not received a formal complaint about the property, which would cause them to investigate the property.
"In the last four years since I have been a trustee, we have not had any complaints about the property," Mote said. "We haven't had a complaint from a township resident. But, in the last few days we've had emails from people all over the country."
Mote said in order to look into the conditions of the property, a Union Township resident would need to make a written statement - signed with their contact information - about the condition of the property. He said the three trustees, likely accompanied by the Miami County Health Department, would then visit the property and make a decision on the property's condition…more