WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – A Forsyth County man is facing more than 70 charges of violating a county ordinance involving dogs that were seized from his house.
"This is the first time for us though, but it does happen all over the United States," described Sarah Williamson with the Forsyth County Humane Society, when talking about the sheer amount of dogs.
That’s according to the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office after they executed a search warrant at the house on Old Hollow Road for animal control violations.
Earlier this week, the Sheriff's Office received an anonymous email complaining about the dogs on the property.
The office sent investigators, who encouraged 74-year-old Frederick Chriscoe to surrender the animals.
He refused.
Investigators underwent a day-long operation to remove all the dogs from the property.
Investigators said the dogs seized are not part of a puppy mill or for dog breeding. The homeowner just really liked dogs.
"He cares deeply about the animals," the Sheriff's Office shared.
"People who love animals do the best they can, and people who love animals -- really love animals -- but we all have to be reasonable," said Williamson.
Chriscoe's family told WFMY News 2 he absolutely loves those dogs.
"There's ones out here that don't care about their dogs, that don't take care of their dogs -- but he's doing it -- to keep these dogs out of the shelters," said Cyrstal Curtis, Chriscoe's ste-daughter.
He loves them so much, he risks his life for them.
"They're telling him that he has had a stroke. He checks himself out against doctors orders to come home to make sure his dogs are taken care of," said Curtis.
The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office and the Forsyth County Humane Society say they’ve never had 70+ dogs come in at once.
The Humane Society have been working with the Sheriff’s Office for a few days to get prepared with other 50+ volunteer from organizations including Fur Ever Friends, Unchain Winston, Unchain Forsyth and the Piedmont Emergency Animal Response Team (PEART).
Although the man has the option to recover the animals, he will not be able to because of the cost of registering and vaccinating each one of them.
"If he loses all these dogs, I don't foresee him really having much of a purpose anymore. I really don't," said Curtis.
The State of North Carolina does not have a limit on how many dogs a person is allowed to own as long as they are registered, vaccinated and provided with water, food and shelter.
Because the animals were not in severe danger, the man with not be charged or arrested, though he may receive citations for violating county ordinances.
Deputies say that although he was not happy the animals were taken, he collaborated with the officers during the operation.
According to a press release by the Sheriff's Office, Chriscoe has been charged with 79 violation to Forsyth County Ordinance 6-10 Registration of Dog.
The investigation is on-going and he has a court date of August 20th in District Criminal Court.
The Forsyth County Humane Society does have temporary shelter in place for the dogs. Over the next several days they will be feeding, watering, cleaning, micro-chipping, and assessing the dogs' behavior.
Dogs will not be immediately available for adoption. The removal process will be very lengthy. Each dog is a piece of evidence in the investigation meaning they must be logged by deputies and animal control officers one-by-one before taken to the Humane Society where they will be assessed.
PHOTOS | Dozens Of Dogs Seized From House In Winston-Salem
The Humane Society hopes the dogs will be available for adoption by next week.
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