COLLOMSVILLE – Responding to grave concerns over deplorable living conditions for dozens of animals inside a Limestone Township property, the county’s dog warden and officers with the local SPCA paid a surprised visit and executed a search warrant on Nov. 6 at the home of Andrew and Linda Schuler at 168 Wells Road which resulted in the seizure of 46 cats and 29 dogs, all allegedly neglected, according to court records.

The dogs were described as Pekingese, Shih Tzu, and Pomeranian mixed-breed, investigators said.

“It was the first time any law enforcement officers had been able to search the entire home without (advance) notice,” Shauntay Shadrach, an SPCA humane officer, wrote in a lengthy affidavit.

SPCA investigators were allowed in the house in mid-October to administer care to some of the couple’s dogs, but it was a controlled visit in which the officers were only allowed to be in three rooms, the court document stated. The rest of the rooms were closed off by gates.

During that visit, “SPCA staff had to wear face masks because the ammonia smell from the urine and the smell of feces were too strong that it took your breath away,” Shadrach said in the affidavit. “Some staff members had to take breaks outside to breathe,” she said. “Numerous cats were running around, and one cat was obviously pregnant. Multiple dogs defecated on the floor while we were there. Andrew Schuler promptly cleaned up (the messes). Numerous cats and dogs urinated on the floor, marked all the vet equipment and sprayed everywhere,” Shadrach said.

When the search warrant was executed last month by county Dog Warden Sarah Morehart, “the sections of the home that the SPCA officers were not allowed (to see) were the worst (part of the property), Shadrach said. “Feces was caked to the floor and walls, and there were urine stains on almost everything you came across,” the humane officer said. Investigators began taking custody of the dogs and cats about 3:40 p.m. “SPCA staff had unloaded carriers, supplies and materials, and set up a triage station to tag and label all the animals before departing,” Shadrach said.

Assisting at the scene was state Trooper Lauren Lesher, who serves as the humane society’s liaison for the barracks in Montoursville. Andrew Schluer, 73, and Linda, 71, “were distraught,” Shadrach wrote in the affidavit. During the next six hours, all but about 15 cats were removed from the property, the humane officer said. Traps were set overnight, and the SPCA returned the next day and took 13 more cats, it was stated in the affidavit. All that was left was a handful of cats that were “in the walls and ceilings. We tried netting. We tried trapping. We tried coaxing with food, but we were unable to seize these cats,” Shadrach said.

Both Schuler and his wife have each been charged by the SPCA with a total of 150 counts of neglect of an animal; 75 of those counts are classified as misdemeanors and stem from the couple failing to get veterinary care for the cats and dogs while the other 75 counts are summary offenses for failing to provide a clean and sanitary shelter for the animals.

During the two weeks after they were seized, all the animals received veterinary care, said Shadrach, adding that all the cats and dogs were “undersocialized, terrified and stressed out.”

The investigation began clear back in mid-September when the SPCA received complaints from the couple’s neighbors about “the smell coming from the house. The neighbors never saw any dogs outside, but heard them barking constantly. Neighbors also reported seeing double digits of cats in the windows,” Shadrach said in the court document.

Efforts to get any information from the SPCA on Tuesday on the current status and whereabouts of the seized animals were unsuccessful.

In addition to the SPCA charges, Andrew Schuler has been charged by Morehart, the dog warden, with one misdemeanor offense of unlawfully operating a kennel without a license and multiple summary offenses for failing to get his dogs licenses.

Schuler and his wife have been sent summons to appear before District Judge Denise Dieter.