JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville police and animal control officers raided two homes Thursday in connection to an ongoing investigation into animal cruelty.
Now, Animal Care and Protective Services has issued a call to the community asking for help with fostering and adopting the dogs that were rescued.
Police first went to a Northside home on Dobson Drive near Dunn Avenue. They also responded to a Westside home on Picketville Road.
At the Westside home, kennels could be seen in the back yard and there were still some dogs that were left there Thursday afternoon. Neighbors said they saw more than two dozen dogs being removed by animal control officers.
A Facebook post from ACPS says they rescued 56 dogs connected to the case.
Multiple neighbors said it was all set up last August and since then they have complained about the noise and smell from the kennels.
In December, police and animal control raided the Westside home and confiscated animals. The December arrest reports state that the Picketville location had 15 cages containing 30 dogs. One dog was found mauled to death. Another dog had injuries consistent with dog fighting and had not received proper medical treatment.
The report said other dogs on the property were living in filthy and unsanitary conditions. The December report also said the Dobson location had more than 40 dogs many of which were also living in similar conditions.
A 59-year-old woman presumed to be the owner of the dogs was arrested and charged with four counts of animal cruelty.
On Thursday, police and animal control arrived at the home on Dobson Avenue listed as her home address.
They confiscated multiple dogs at that location.
When News4JAX arrived at least two vans left the property after the dogs had been loaded inside.
Hours later, SKY-4 flew over a raid at the home on Picketville that is associated with the same woman.
It’s unclear if any animals were confiscated from that home.
Neighbors who spoke with police but didn’t want to go on camera said they were glad police and animal control came back to the location because they were fed up with the constant barking.
Other neighbors who are working with investigators describe both locations as a puppy mill. They also say the woman who is accused of owning the animals was running a business called Project Hope, United States of America. It was supposed to be an organization that breeds and raises dogs to be service animals for veterans. According to Sunbiz.org, the same woman is listed as the business’s registered agent. As we kept running her name through a background check, we learned the same woman used different aliases and had been arrested and convicted on multiple charges of fraud.
As for the owner of the dogs, we’re told she suffered a medical problem and was taken to UF Health.
She is currently facing animal cruelty charges from the December raid, and she’s facing identity fraud charges in an unrelated case.
Although more than two dozen animals were removed during Thursday’s raid, it’s unclear if she is facing more charges.