Dozens of animals taken from a southern Ohio animal “shelter” are relocating to Lucas and Wood counties.

The dogs and cats are being given new, hopefully temporary homes, at local Humane Society shelters. 

They started arriving at the shelter in Bowling Green on  Wednesday. The animals were among 166 dogs and cats taken from an Adams County property, acting as a shelter, earlier this month.

Tim Sanders, assistant manager for the Wood County Humane Society’s shelter, said 12 dogs and four cats were brought to the shelter at about noon. 

By 5 p.m., all but four of the dogs had been sent to foster families.

Staff were only told that the animals were found “living in filth without adequate food or shelter,” Mr. Sanders said, and that it was a “hoarding situation.”

While most needed a bath and a few had some skin issues, the animals were in reasonably good health. They will be fostered for one to two weeks to help socialize them.

They will then be seen by a vet and prepared for adoption.

A posting on Facebook quickly drew volunteers to help foster, Mr. Sanders said.

“Everyone was really, really excited and willing to help us,” he said.

The animals were seized during the execution of a search warrant, issued after authorities “became concerned with the suspected neglect situation,” according to the Humane Society of the United States. 

No other information was provided about how authorities became aware of the so-called shelter and its conditions. 

Officials said the cats and dogs suffer from “a variety of medical conditions and lack of basic care.”

Gary Willoughby, director of the Toledo Area Humane Society, said the seven adult dogs they’ll receive will come to their shelter next week. 

One of their behavioral consultants, Aja LeBarr, went on her own time to help with evaluating the animals seized in Adams County, Mr. Willoughby said.

The animals coming to the Toledo-area shelter will have behavioral and medical evaluations, Mr. Willoughby said. Some of the animals may be available for adoption as early as next week, Mr. Willoughby said.

— Taylor Dungjen and Nolan Rosenkrans

First Published December 24, 2015, 5:00 a.m.