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OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City, Okla. – 124 dogs are now in the care of adoption agencies after Animal Welfare Officers rescued them from an Oklahoma City home.

The dogs came from a popular breeder known as OKC Poms. While Animal Welfare says the dogs look to be healthy, the condtions they were living in were not.

“Cock roaches in the food, there was feces everywhere. The cages hadn’t been cleaned properly for quite some time. There was a ventilation issue. So it was pretty bad,” said Officer Mike Cronic.

The dogs were living on Linda Roach’s property. Her business name, OKC Poms, was posted on her home until her husband ripped it down.

He refused to talk to News Channel Four about the business, but it only takes a simple click online to find out Roach has been breeding dogs for more than 30 years.

Pictures show well groomed puppies, but officers say reality revealed a different story.

“I’m going to guess it just kind of got out of hand for her,” said Officer Cronic.

The State Agriculture Department renews breeder licenses every year in June.
So how did Roach keep hers?

“When they get their inspections done, they know it’s going to happen. So they do everything possible to make sure it’s clean and animals are taken care of. It’s after the inspectors leave that things change,” said Animal Welfare’s Trace Lyons.

Since the state doesn’t inspect breeders regularly, Lyons says the only way a person would get caught breaking the law is if a citizen complaint prompts Animal Welfare to investigate just like it did in this case.

Roach surrendered 124 dogs to Animal Welfare. By law, investigators had to leave 41 dogs and puppies with the breeder because they were living in acceptable conditions.

Officers say the breeder faces 124 counts of failure to provide humane care and treatment and two counts of failure to provide veterinarian care to a dog.

Investigators could add more charges as the case builds against OKC Poms.

Most of the dogs rescued are healthy. Many will be available for adoption at Central OK Humane Society and the Bella Foundation. For more information, contact Animal Welfare at 405-297-3100.