Pennsylvania SPCA Humane Law Enforcement officers executed a search warrant and rescued 28 dogs from Brickyard Pet Supply, an illegal pet store located on the 2200 block of Cecil B. Moore Ave. in North Philadelphia on the evening of October 22, 2009. The dogs, most of them pit bull mixes, were being housed in unsanitary conditions.

The owners of the Brickyard Pet Supply, a man and a woman, as well as another man who worked at the store, were arrested at the time the search warrant was executed. The female owner of the store and the male employee were both cited for lack of veterinary care. The store’s male owner faces a misdemeanor charge of cruelty to animals in addition to a charge of theft by deception.

An undercover Pennsylvania SPCA Humane Law Enforcement officer purchased a puppy on the morning of the raid. The dog’s ears, which had been cropped, were infected and the officer had reason to believe that the procedure had not been performed by a licensed veterinarian.

The Pennsylvania SPCA, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization founded in 1867, is dedicated to rescuing animals from abuse and neglect, providing lifesaving care and treatment, and reducing pet-overpopulation through low-cost spay-and-neuter clinics and public awareness initiatives. Through these efforts, the Pennsylvania SPCA prevents cruelty towards animals and promotes respect for their welfare, thus enhancing the lives of people and their companion animals throughout the state of Pennsylvania. To report animal cruelty or abuse, call the 24-hour statewide hotline at 1.866.601.7722. For more information about the Pennsylvania SPCA, to donate, adopt or volunteer, please visit www.pspca.org or call 215.426.6300.