Official: 13 Dogs seized from York home euthanized

The 13 dogs seized from a York home earlier this month for their involvement in an alleged dog fighting had to be euthanized, a York County official said.

Deputies and K-9 units were searching for a burglary suspect on an unrelated call June 6 when they discovered 13 pit bulls that they believed were being used for dog fighting at a home on Prairie Hill Road in York, sheriff’s officials have said. Eleven of the dogs were on chains tied to the ground by car axles, and eight of them had severe scars and open wounds.

Ryan Blancke, the assistant public works director who is overseeing York County Animal Control, said Thursday that all of the dogs had to be euthanized.

“They were fighting very aggressively toward each other,” Blancke said of the dogs seized from the home. “Our in-house veterinarian examined the dogs and determined they were dangerous.”

Blancke said the vet determined the dogs were too dangerous to be housed around other dogs and could not be rehabilitated. The vet cited a state law that prohibits trafficking of dangerous animals, he said.

Frankie Lee Starnes Jr., 34, of Prairie Hill Road was charged with eight counts each of ill treatment of animals, restraint law violation, county animal shelter violation and rabies violation and seven counts of dog fighting, officials said.

Starnes was arrested Tuesday afternoon and placed in the York County Detention Center but has since been released.

This story was originally published June 17, 2016 at 1:33 PM with the headline "Official: 13 Dogs seized from York home euthanized."