Loudonville Dog Breeder Shares His Account Following Arrest, Removal of 72 Dogs
LOUDONVILLE, Ohio — Daniel A. Miller has publicly shared his version of the events leading to his arrest and the removal of 72 dogs and puppies from a large-volume breeding operation near Loudonville.
Miller, 64, posted a lengthy statement on Facebook following his Thursday, Aug. 27, arrest at a property on Ashland County Road 2575. He was accused of obstructing official business and falsification involving allegedly misleading a public official.
The Ashland County Sheriff’s Office has not publicly explained what prompted the investigation, provided a detailed account of Miller’s arrest or addressed the allegations contained in his Facebook statement.
Miller Says Investigation Began With Questions About a Poodle
According to Miller’s account, two detectives came to his property on Aug. 20 and showed him a photograph of a man whom Miller initially said he did not recognize.
Miller said investigators then asked whether he had sold the man a black poodle in 2024. Miller said he remembered the man after receiving that additional information but claimed the prospective buyer ultimately returned the dog without completing the adoption.
Miller alleged that the man had asked to take the poodle to a nearby motel to bathe it and spend time with it before deciding whether to adopt it. According to Miller, the man returned the dog the following morning and said he did not want it because it was too shy.
Miller said a detective later told him the man was suspected of sexually abusing the dog. Miller claimed he had no knowledge of the alleged abuse and became emotional when informed of it.
The identity of the man described by Miller has not been publicly released, and authorities have not independently confirmed Miller’s account or announced whether that person faces criminal charges.
Phones Taken During Investigation
Miller said investigators obtained his phones during the initial encounter and had not returned them as of the time of his Facebook post.
One week later, Miller said investigators returned to the property with additional personnel. He alleged that officials repeatedly accused him of having another phone, failing to produce dog records and concealing animals.
Miller claimed he no longer possessed some of the requested records because, according to his understanding, the Ohio Department of Agriculture did not require him to keep them for that length of time.
He also alleged that investigators threatened to return with a warrant and publicly document the removal of the dogs if he did not voluntarily surrender them.
Miller said he ultimately signed the dogs over to authorities. He accused investigators of pressuring him and treating him unfairly because he is Amish.
These allegations represent Miller’s account and have not been independently verified. ACP News has not obtained copies of any consent forms, search warrants, investigative reports or recorded interviews that could provide additional context.
Dogs Found in Barn
Miller said authorities discovered some dogs inside a barn after initially believing all the animals would be in the kennel or exercise area.
According to Miller, investigators accused him of hiding the dogs and indicated they intended to search his house and shop for additional animals.
Miller denied intentionally concealing any dogs and denied lying to authorities. He said investigators also accused him of falsifying documents and tampering with evidence.
Public jail information listed charges of obstructing official business and falsification but did not list a tampering-with-evidence charge at the time of the earlier ACP News report.
Miller Describes Jail Experience
Miller said he was taken to the Ashland County Jail and kept in a small room for approximately eight hours. He alleged the room was extremely cold and said he was shaking badly by the time he was removed.
He said he later recovered without requiring transportation to a hospital and was released without appearing before a judge.
Release without an immediate court appearance does not, by itself, indicate that charges have been dismissed or that an arrest was improper. Court proceedings and charging decisions may occur later.
Humane Society Reports 72 Dogs and Puppies Rescued
Humane Society of Ashland County Director Tiffany Meyer previously said the organization helped rescue 50 adult dogs and 22 puppies from the breeding operation.
Sheriff’s Office dispatch records showed deputies arriving at a residence in the 300 block of County Road 2575 shortly after 10:20 a.m. Aug. 27. The log identified Miller as the person arrested and indicated that his 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.
The dispatch records did not explain the circumstances underlying the charges or establish whether the removal of the dogs was directly connected to Miller’s arrest.
Property Previously Appeared in National Reports
The County Road 2575 property has previously been associated with Daniel and James Miller and businesses identified as Happy Mountain K9 Facilities, Happy Mountain Canine Facilities and Puppys R Us.
The operation appeared in the Humane Society of the United States’ 2019 and 2021 “Horrible Hundred” reports, which highlighted breeding and puppy-selling operations accused of animal-care problems.
The 2021 report cited Ohio Department of Agriculture inspection findings from 2020 involving inadequate outdoor shelters, dogs with apparent eye problems, missing records and a lack of enrichment.
Those historical findings do not establish the circumstances surrounding Miller’s current charges or the condition of the animals recently removed.
The Humane Society has not publicly released detailed information about the dogs’ medical conditions.
The charges are accusations. Miller is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
ACP News will continue seeking information from the Ashland County Sheriff’s Office, the Humane Society and other agencies involved in the investigation.
