Two facing charges after hundreds of animals rescued from overrun animal shelter

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) - Two owners of an animal shelter have been charged with neglect after police in Montgomery County say they received multiple tips about poor living conditions at a rescue in Jeffersonville.

Undercover officers went to the location and found more than 200 cats and more than 100 dogs at the facility, without proper care.

The non-profit Guardians of Rescue worked with police to rescue the animals and get them to veterinarians.

Police say some of the animals rescued are in very poor health.

Guardians of Rescue’s Facebook says they “work tirelessly to protect the well-being of all animals and come to the aid of those in distress.”

“People gotta realize that a lot of times people say they’re a rescue doesn’t mean they’re in it for the right reasons,” says James Houchins, the Director of Field Operations for Guardians of Rescue. “A lot of people think it’s easy to get into animal rescue and they don’t know when to properly say no, or I can’t handle this situation. So they still actively take in animals until the point they’re over crowded.”

Renee Ann Zaharie, 60, and William Brian Zaharie were charged with second degree animal cruelty.

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