A Putnam County man was arrested Thursday after authorities removed 36 dogs from his property following a months-long investigation into reports of aggressive dogs attacking and killing others.
Mark Plosila, 67, was charged with one felony count of aggravated animal cruelty and one misdemeanor count of animal cruelty, according to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.
The arrest followed years of complaints about Plosila’s Swan Lake Road property and a series of reported attacks this year that ultimately led Putnam County Animal Services to seek a court order requiring him to surrender all but five of the dogs.
According to an arrest affidavit, Animal Services told investigators it had received multiple calls about the property over the previous four years, primarily from neighbors complaining about Plosila’s dogs.
On Jan. 7, Animal Services received a report that a dead dog was being mauled by other dogs on the property, the affidavit states. A day later, the agency received another complaint about aggressive dogs attacking another dog.
Similar reports followed in the spring. In March, a caller reported multiple dogs attacking another dog until it died. In April, another caller reported several dogs attacking a weaker dog until it was dead, according to the affidavit.
Animal Services also told investigators that neighbors had reported a pack of roughly 15 to 20 dogs repeatedly escaping or jumping the fence and aggressively chasing people down the street. The agency described the dogs as “extremely aggressive,” according to the affidavit.
On Aug. 25, while officials attempted to contact Plosila, a detective said she witnessed a pack of dogs attack two others tethered to a vehicle. According to the arrest affidavit, Plosila remained inside the residence and did not intervene or attempt to separate them.
Deputies returned to the property Sept. 3, arresting Plosila while Animal Services removed 36 dogs. Fifteen of the dogs were euthanized following temperament evaluations: eight at the property and seven at Animal Services, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Eleven puppies were among the animals removed. The Sheriff’s Office said they remain with their mothers and will be placed in foster homes for socialization after they are weaned, while the remaining dogs are decompressing at the shelter before becoming available for adoption.
In a statement on social media, Putnam County Sheriff H.D. ‘Gator’ DeLoach called the case “a unique undertaking,” citing the number of dogs, conditions on the property and concerns about aggressive dogs escaping into the neighborhood.
“We realize for the residents in this neighborhood, the process to get to this point was a long one,” Sheriff H.D. “Gator” DeLoach said. “No one should feel afraid to walk in their neighborhood because someone cannot control their dogs. Animal Services worked hard to find a permanent resolution for their neighborhood where the residents will no longer feel trapped in their home. …”
Plosila was booked into the Putnam County Jail and later released on $11,000 bond, according to the Sheriff’s Office. As a condition of his release, he is prohibited from possessing or having contact with animals.
