Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/animal-rescue-charged/

An animal rescue in Elizabethtown, Kentucky is facing 91 counts of animal cruelty after police witnessed unsanitary conditions and code violations.

According to WAVE 3, three people associated with Always Faithful Animal Rescue are involved in the case, including Amy Smith, 46, Kevin Smith, 55, and Jessica Wagner, 28.

Those people are being charged with 91 counts of second-degree animal cruelty (one count for each animal in their care), along with 31 counts of not licensing dogs with the county. In addition, they’re being charged with 34 counts of animals not being vaccinated against rabies.

The charges are classified as a class A misdemeanors and are punishable by up to one year in jail on each count if convicted.

WAVES reports that the Hardin County Animal Care and Control made the charges due to animal neglect, code violations and unsanitary conditions. No animals were confiscated from the rescue, which is still operating at the time of writing.

According to the News Enterprise, the rescue believes the charges are unfounded and is hopeful that they will all be dropped.

Amy Smith, who is listed as the rescue’s president on its website, said police were initially called to the rescue after receiving a smell complaint. Smith said the smell was dog poop. She went on to say that she was working on cleaning the dogs’ kennels late at night but hadn’t got to them all when the officer arrived to investigate. The officer reportedly found dogs in their kennels with feces, which Smith claims she planned to clean but hadn’t gotten to yet.

Smith and the others from the rescue plan to fight the charges in court.

Read more: Ohio Animal Rescue Faces Criminal Investigation After 30 Dogs Found Dead.

Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog