WIRT MAN'S HOME BURNS - Rescues 16 Dogs, Authorities Intervene

(02/01/2014)
A Wirt County man, Leonard Flowers, lost his home Wednesday night to a fire, but he managed to rescue his 16 dogs.

Flowers told media he had no where to go, and put the dogs in his car and drove to his sister's home in Parkersburg.

Neighbors called the Parkersburg Police after spotting the dogs in the vehicle, and humane officers were called to the scene, speaking with Flowers.

Officers say the living conditions were not suitable, leaving them in the car overnight, and Flowers agreed to have the animals be taken to a shelter, agreeing to pick them up in five days.

"Some of them have skin issues, one dog is either blind or has cataracts. With all these animals, none of them are fixed because the guy does breed them and they will fight for dominance so, there was fighting in the car and you have feces in the car which makes for unsafe conditions for the dogs and the people," said Scott Little, Parkersburg Humane Officer.

They are being kept separated at the Parkersburg Humane Society.