After dozens of puppies were found in rural Pottawattamie County, Iowa with no food and water before being rescued Sunday, authorities ramped up their investigation into Young Gunz Kennel.
They obtained a search warrant and confiscated items for several hours Tuesday.
Sheriff deputies and animal control personnel hauled away a large number of kennels that were at the unlicensed facility, which was used for obedience and hunting training, as well as dog breeding.
Investigators could also be seen snapping photos and collecting additional evidence that they could find at the site, which housed as many as 50 dogs before many of them were found inside their kennels severely malnourished.
A total of four dogs have now been found dead, and 10 are missing.
Copper was one of the dogs that was rescued on Sunday. When his owner Wil Beach picked him up, Copper had lost 20 pounds and was covered in feces.
"He was very scared but still in high spirits, he was the same dog emotionally when I got him (back) than when I dropped him off,” says Beach.
Beach says he took Copper and a $550 check to owner Dustin Young in January after high praises from friends. He says he did not suspect anything amiss when he made the drop-off.
"When I was there it was neat and clean and organized and he was very talkative and he just seemed like he had a passion for dogs," says Beach.
Beach is thankful that his two-year old pup is okay, with no major issues from the abandonment.
But, he, like many of the owners that kept their dogs at Young Gunz, wants to see Young prosecuted.
"Just I trusted him with a family member and to be let down like that, it really disappoints me," says Beach.
Authorities say Young was here watching them conduct their search warrant today. They still do not know if they will be pressing charges but they say that they think they’re close to making a decision.
