CENTERVILLE, Pa. -- Police and humane officers raided a kennel at a home in Centerville, Washington County, and said they found dozens of dead dogs on Tuesday evening.

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Animal control officers said there were dogs in cages inside and outside Calico Creek Critters Rescue, and even in a nearby incinerator.

They said the total number was 24 dead and approximately 60 alive, many of which were sick.

One officer described it as a concentration camp for dogs.

"In the basement, there were approximately 38 dogs alive, we don't have an exact count. And at least five dead dogs in the basement," said Vickie Schmalzride, a humane officer.

Another officer said the look in the living dogs' eyes seemed to be a plea to be rescued.

"It was a pretty bad situation. There was feces everywhere, too many animals in pens, and no water available. There was only one pen outside that had food available," said humane officer Lorie Schooley.

Schooley said one of the dogs rescued died overnight. Others seem happy and healthy and are undergoing evaluations.

The owner of the house, Lore Massey, voluntarily gave up the dogs to the humane society, where, if healthy, they'll be put up for adoption.

Massey said she never mistreated the animals.

"I'm just totally shocked," she said. "I've done nothing wrong except try and help animals that would have died without my help."

Massey did not want her face shown and said she now fears for her life.

"I've got death threats this morning and last night, and I had someone call last evening threatening to burn my house down, and all I did was try and help as many animals as I could," she said.

According to its Web site, Calico Creek Critters Rescue attempts to rescue unwanted dogs.

Humane officers had obtained a search warrant after they got a complaint from a man who said he went there to adopt and was appalled by the conditions.

When investigators got there, they said they found decomposing dogs in garbage cans and cages, and bones in a burn pile in the back yard.

Officers said Massey's operation did try to rescue unwanted dogs, and breed others, but they said she got in way over her head and couldn't care for them all.

"She was a woman trying to do a good thing who became overwhelmed with the situation, and she just became overcrowded, just way too many animals for her to care for," said Schooley.

"Certainly I did have too many," said Massey. "I would get calls from the pound asking for my help for dogs that were going to be put to sleep and if I didn't take them, they would be put to sleep."

This is the second time in as many years that the owner of the breeding operation will be cited for neglect. The first charge was dismissed in 2006.

At this point the Washington Area Humane Society said they are going to do everything they can to make sure Massey faces charges in relation to the situation.

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