30 dogs found dead in freezer, 90 in cruel conditions at animal rescue, cops say
A dog rescue owner pleaded guilty to animal cruelty charges months after police rescued 90 dogs in cruel conditions and found 30 dead dogs in freezers, Ohio deputies and court documents say.
Ronda Murphy, the owner of Helping Hands for Furry Paws in Madison Township, was indicted by a grand jury in August 2023 and pleaded guilty on Tuesday, Jan. 23, to 13 counts charges of animal cruelty, Butler County court records show.
Murphy faces up to nine years in prison. No attorney information was listed for Murphy.
The 120 dogs were discovered across two properties in July 2023 by deputies who described the scene as “the most horrible conditions they had ever seen,” according to a news release from the Butler County Sheriff’s Office.
The 30 deceased dogs found were in refrigerators and freezers across the properties, deputies said. They were in various decomposition stages because not all of the freezers were working, according to deputies.
The 90 living dogs were found in buildings with no ventilation or air conditioning, crammed together in cages without food or water, Ohio deputies said when the animals were rescued in July. One of the cages contained a mother and her eight puppies, according to authorities.
Deputies said conditions in the house were “unlivable.”
Murphy’s sentencing is scheduled for March 4, according to court records.
Madison Township is about 15 miles southeast of Columbus.
This story was originally published January 23, 2024 at 11:33 AM with the headline "30 dogs found dead in freezer, 90 in cruel conditions at animal rescue, cops say."
