Second Defendant Charged in Expanding Loudonville Dog-Breeding Investigation
LOUDONVILLE, Ohio — A second person has been criminally charged in the expanding multiagency investigation involving a Loudonville-area dog-breeding operation where authorities removed 72 dogs and puppies.
Six criminal complaints were filed Tuesday, Sept. 16, in Ashland Municipal Court against Ross C. Rutschilling, from St Henry, Ohio. The charges were filed by Ashland County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Curtis Hall and allege incidents at 362 Ashland County Road 2575, the location of Happy Mountain K9 Facilities, operated by Daniel A. Miller, 64.
Rutschilling is the first additional person publicly identified and criminally charged in the investigation. Miller already faces falsification, obstructing-official-business and 10 additional animal-related charges.
The addition of another defendant raises questions about how many people may be connected to the investigation and whether authorities anticipate filing more charges.
Five Charges Allege Sexual Conduct Involving Animals
According to the newly filed complaints, Rutschilling faces five counts of knowingly organizing, promoting, aiding or abetting conduct involving sexual contact with an animal.
Each offense is charged as a second-degree misdemeanor under Ohio Revised Code 959.21(C).
The five counts allege incidents on:
Sept. 12, 2025
Dec. 27, 2025
Feb. 7, 2026
Feb. 27, 2026
March 7, 2026
A sixth count charges Rutschilling with attempted cruelty to a companion animal, also a second-degree misdemeanor.
That complaint alleges that between Sept. 12, 2025, and March 7, 2026, Rutschilling purposely or knowingly engaged in conduct that, if successful, would have constituted torturing, tormenting, needlessly mutilating or maiming, cruelly beating, poisoning, needlessly killing or otherwise committing an act of cruelty against a companion animal.
The court filings do not identify the animals allegedly involved or explain Rutschilling’s relationship to Miller or Happy Mountain K9 Facilities.
State Records Previously Identified Individual Only as “RR”
The filing of charges against Ross C. Rutschilling draws renewed attention to an Ohio Department of Agriculture investigation previously reported by ACP News.
That document referred to an individual only by the initials “RR” while detailing allegations involving two dogs during the fall of 2024.
The administrative notice alleged that Miller allowed “RR” to leave his property with a black male poodle and take the dog to a hotel. The department alleged Miller believed the individual intended to engage in sexual conduct with the animal at another location.
According to the notice, the individual returned to Miller’s property the following day, claimed he had engaged in sexual conduct with the poodle and requested access to another dog.
State officials alleged Miller then allowed the individual to take a female Bernese Mountain dog into a private room inside the kennel while knowing what the individual allegedly intended to do. The notice states Miller later learned the individual had engaged in sexual conduct with the second dog.
The Department of Agriculture’s notice did not identify “RR” by name or state at that time whether the individual had been criminally charged.
The new charges against Rutschilling follow the filing of 10 misdemeanor complaints against Miller on Sept. 8.
Upcoming Court Hearings
Miller’s cases are scheduled for an arraignment and pretrial hearing at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, in Ashland Municipal Court.
Rutschilling has been ordered to appear before Good at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22.
All charges and administrative findings described in this story remain allegations. Miller and Rutschilling are presumed innocent of the criminal charges unless and until proven guilty in court.
