Nearly 150 animals surrendered from Butler County farm, state police investigating

FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP, Pa. — Nearly 150 animals rescued from a Butler County farm are being cared for by an Erie County shelter.

State police say 147 animals were taken from a farm on Country Club Road in Franklin Township last week. There were four dogs, two cats and more than 100 rabbits removed from the property

PHOTOS: Dogs, bunnies removed from Butler County farm

Some animals were found deceased, but state police were unsure of how many.

The animals were voluntarily surrendered by their owner, who is in the hospital.

Troopers were assisting the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA) after they got a report of multiple dead rabbits on the property. PDA is testing for Rabbid Hemorrhagic Disease, although they don’t believe it’s present at this time.

ANNA Shelter was called in to help take in the animals.

“I compare some of these places, and this being one of them, to as close as what I would think Hell would look like. So to get them out of that situation, and to get them into better situations - I mean that’s why I started this place,” said Ruth Thompson, founder and director of ANNA Shelter.

The shelter is now working on getting the animals adopted.

“If you live somewhere that you can’t have a little dog or a cat, and you’re allowed to have a caged animal, rabbits will jump up on your couch and watch TV with you, they’ll follow you around the house, they’re litter trained really easily. I mean they’re great little pets,” said Jessica Kellogg, with ANNA Shelter.

No charges have been filed at this time, but the investigation is ongoing.

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