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	Photo by Skip Lawrence Kathy Stewart snuggles with one of the dogs left by a Thurmont resident at Frederick County Animal Control. She considered adopting the personable pooch on Monday. Purchase this photo

The shelter reported Saturday that 75 dogs were dropped off by a Thurmont resident on Feb. 8. One of those dogs had puppies over the weekend, bringing the total to 80.

The dogs are all small breeds. They resemble Boston terriers, Cairn terriers, Yorkshire terriers, Lhasa apsos, Maltese, Pekingese, poodles, West Highland white terriers and shih tzus, but most are mixed breeds, according to Harold Domer, executive director of Animal Control.

Thirty-two of the dogs and puppies are in foster care, Domer said.

The shelter already had its share of dogs this month.

Animal Control captured 31 abandoned dogs and puppies in the Walkersville area Feb. 5. Those dogs also may have been part of a breeding operation. Most of them, also small mixed breeds, have been adopted or are awaiting adoption approvals. Three dogs from that seizure still need homes, Domer said.

Two of the dogs from Thurmont are in a shelter in Ocean City, and 32 are in a shelter in Loudoun County, Va. Both shelters offered to take some of the dogs brought in Feb. 5. When the second group of dogs arrived three days later, Domer said the shelter was able to take advantage of the offers. The dogs at the other shelters are now under the jurisdiction of those shelters.

"I don't believe any shelter's going to take animals unless they're going to adopt them out and put them in good homes," Domer said. "That was their commitment to us."

Annie's Orphans, a Gaithersburg pet rescue, has one of the Thurmont dogs.

The Thurmont resident who dropped the dogs off Feb. 8 may have acted as a middleman, Domer said. "We believe they were transported from an owner in St. Mary's County to a resident in Thurmont . St. Mary's County was apparently conducting an investigation."

Frederick County Animal Control officers were able to get the address of the St. Mary's County home where the dogs likely had been living. The officers visited the home once, but no one was there. Domer said he is working with St. Mary's County Animal Control officials to monitor the situation.

Asked if the dogs came from a puppy mill, Domer said: "I would say that is a definite possibility. It is my understanding the residents in St. Mary's County were responsible for transporting the dogs and puppies to Thurmont ."

A dozen of the dogs at the shelter are available for adoption, said Linda Shea, humane educator. Those in foster care are mostly nursing mothers with young puppies. When the pups are 8 weeks old, they will become available for adoption, as will their mothers.

The shelter has 42 dogs, one puppy, 97 cats, seven kittens and five rabbits. "We're always looking for people to foster dogs and cats," Domer said. "It puts the pets in a less stressful environment."