Two People Arrested For Having Unsafe Conditions For Animals

Two people have been arrested after authorities said more than 40 animals were removed from a Delaware County home with unsafe conditions. 55 year old Rebecca Salow and 68 year old Dale Abbey both of Manchester, have been charged in Iowa District Court of Delaware County. Salow was charged with 23 counts of animal neglect and five counts of failure to dispose of a dead animal. Abbey was charged with eight counts of animal neglect and five counts of failure to dispose of a dead animal. A search of the pair’s Manchester home was conducted March 26 as part of a joint investigation between the Delaware County Sheriff’s Department and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship into whether unlicensed animal breeding and sales were taking place there. The search found “numerous” cats and dogs at the residence and in an outbuilding. Four puppies, 15 adult dogs, 14 adult cats and 10 kittens were removed from the property. A report says seven dogs and one kitten also were found dead on the property. Many dogs were kept in unsanitary conditions that “lacked ventilation and contained excessive animal waste. Several dogs also had severely matted fur and lacked proper grooming.