20 Dogs Found In 'Deplorable' Conditions At New Hampshire Property, 63-Year-Old Woman Charged

A woman in Hampton, New Hampshire, was charged with animal cruelty Friday (June 12) after 20 dogs were found in “deplorable” conditions at her residence.

An investigation was launched in May after police received a complaint stating that several animals were kept in “deplorable” conditions at the home. The New Hampshire Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals responded to the home and took 20 dogs and a bird into custody. Medical tests revealed that 17 of them showed “various levels of neglect.” All the canines were adults and of different breeds.

In a statement, police said 63-year-old Susan Bahatouris was taken into custody and charged with 17 counts of animal cruelty for “depriving these animals of necessary care by leaving them without food or water in an unclean living environment.” She has since been released and is scheduled to appear in court on Aug. 18.

Meanwhile, reports stated that some of the dogs have been adopted while the rest are still waiting.

Encouraging people to report animal cruelty, police said, “We encourage everyone to report animal cruelty, abuse, or neglect to their local authorities. We would also like to thank the NHSPCA for their partnership and cooperation.”

The incident comes less than a month after a couple in Mississippi was arrested after over 100 animals were found living in “deplorable conditions” at a property. Officials executed a search warrant and found 11 different species of animals, including horses and dogs, living in “deplorable conditions.” Following this, the couple, identified as Sharon and Daniel Bertok, was arrested and charged with animal cruelty. Meanwhile, officials said several of the domesticated animals were put down.

In another incident last month, over 100 dogs were seized from a shelter in Elliott County, Kentucky, after they were found living in poor conditions. The Kentucky State Police troopers executed a search warrant at the Trixie Foundation Animal Shelter and found a total of 104 dogs and four cats living in poor conditions. Most of them had severe health problems and had to be put down.