72 Dogs and Puppies Rescued From Loudonville Breeding Operation; Man Arrested
LOUDONVILLE, Ohio — The Humane Society of Ashland County helped rescue 50 adult dogs and 22 puppies from a large-volume dog breeding operation in Loudonville, according to Humane Society Director Tiffany Meyer.
ACP News has identified the location involved as 362 Ashland County Road 2575, the same address associated with a breeding operation named in the Humane Society of the United States’ 2021 “Horrible Hundred” report.
Daniel A. Miller, 64, was arrested Thursday, Aug. 27, following a response by multiple Ashland County Sheriff’s Office deputies to the property.
According to Ashland County Jail information, Miller was being held on charges of obstructing official business, in violation of Ohio Revised Code 2921.31, and falsification involving allegedly misleading a public official, under Ohio Revised Code 2921.13(A)(3).
The charges are accusations, and Miller is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Ashland County Sheriff’s Office dispatch records show deputies arriving at a residence in the 300 block of County Road 2575 shortly after 10:20 a.m. Thursday.
The dispatch log identified Miller as the person arrested and indicated that Miranda rights were read at approximately 10:34 a.m. Deputies left the property at approximately 12:25 p.m. to transport Miller to the Ashland County Jail.
Sheriff Kurt J. Schneider and the Ashland County Sheriff’s Office had not released an official statement about the arrest or the broader investigation as of publication.
The publicly available call logs do not explain the circumstances leading to the criminal charges or identify what, if anything, authorities recovered from the property. They also do not establish whether a dog-licensing matter was directly connected to Miller’s arrest.
Officials have not yet publicly announced whether additional charges are being considered or whether anyone else is under investigation.
Property Previously Named in National Puppy Mill Report
The County Road 2575 address was previously associated with Daniel and James Miller and businesses identified as Happy Mountain K9 Facilities, Happy Mountain Canine Facilities and Puppys R Us.
ACP News reported on May 10, 2021, that the Loudonville operation had appeared in the Humane Society of the United States’ annual “Horrible Hundred” report, which identifies breeding and puppy-selling operations cited for alleged animal-care problems.
According to the 2021 report, Ohio Department of Agriculture inspectors documented issues during six attempted or completed visits to Happy Mountain K9 in 2020.
State employees reportedly attempted inspections in October and November but were unable to gain access because no one was available to admit them. Inspectors returned four times in December and documented violations during each visit, according to the report.
During a Dec. 14, 2020, inspection, the kennel was reportedly rated noncompliant for seven issues. Those findings included outdoor housing areas without adequate shelter structures to protect every dog and puppy from the weather.
The concern was heightened because temperatures in the area had frequently fallen below freezing.
Inspectors also reported finding a Bernese mountain dog with eye irritation and discharge and a poodle with redness and swelling around its eyes. Other cited issues included a lack of enrichment in enclosures and missing records.
State inspectors returned three more times before the end of December 2020 and reportedly continued to find problems involving inadequate outdoor shelters.
Earlier Inspections Also Found Violations
The operation previously appeared in the Humane Society’s 2019 “Horrible Hundred” report.
During an August 2018 state inspection, the Millers were reportedly found noncompliant after multiple puppies were sold before reaching eight weeks of age.
Other reported violations included dogs without sufficient enclosure space, the absence of a written veterinary health-care plan and expired medications. A September 2018 follow-up inspection reportedly found four outdoor enclosures without shelter structures and continued problems involving veterinary health-care plans.
The 2021 report also stated that puppies connected to the operation were advertised through PuppyFind.com and that Happy Mountain Canine had received an “F” rating from the Better Business Bureau at that time.
The historical inspection findings do not, by themselves, establish the circumstances surrounding Thursday’s arrest or the current condition of the animals removed from the property.
The Humane Society has not yet released detailed information about the dogs’ medical conditions, where they are being housed or when any of them may become available for adoption.
ACP News will continue following the investigation and will report additional information when it becomes available.
