LOWER OXFORD -- SPCA rescue workers Friday confiscated 300 dogs living in unsanitary conditions Friday.

At first, the tally looked like it was going to be 135. "Then we found another building. We had to get a second warrant," said SPCA spokesman Chuck McDevitt.

The agency is in desperate need of help from the general public.

Permanent homes for the animals cannot be found until the cruelty case is adjudicated. But McDevitt said the agency needs money, dog food, towels and other items for the care of the dogs.

The rescue effort didn't go off without a hitch.

A state trooper with the Chester County SPCA workers asked for help and got it quickly when 15 marked and unmarked state police cars roared to the site in the 1700 block of Old Baltimore Pike.

"We had a uniformed officer here assisting the SPCA," said Trooper Corey Monthei. "A resident or someone decided to become combative with our trooper."

According to Monthei, two unnamed people were taken into custody and removed from the premises.

After the incident was resolved, SPCA personnel were able to continue with their work, removing the animals from houses on the Michael Wolf property.

The SPCA became aware of a problem when someone who had visited the site to buy a puppy lodged a complaint about unsanitary conditions. An investigator responded on Wednesday and one dog was taken into SPCA care.

According to McDevitt, the next step was to obtain a search warrant from the district attorney so they could come to remove the dogs from unsanitary conditions. "They were not being cleaned up after," he said. "Some were in crates, some were roaming through the houses."

When asked if the property was a puppy mill, McDevitt said it could be called that. "Different people have different names for that," he said.

"It's very common in Lancaster County. I couldn't say this is a rare occurrence, but I don't remember the last time we removed animals from a breeder."

There had been complaints to the SPCA about Wolf in 2001, which were resolved. According to McDevitt, Wolf's kennel license was revoked by the state.

Lower Oxford Township secretary Ruth Libby said she was unaware of any recent complaints about the property, but she also didn't know that the kennel license had been revoked.

In addition to the dogs, a parrot was also taken into custody. Though there were several breeds of dogs on the property, the largest numbers were Cavalier King Charles spaniels and English bulldogs.

Harvey Stidham, who operates an auto body shop directly across the street from the property, had no idea there were so many dogs at the homes. "In the summer, you can hear dogs barking sometimes, but you can only see a couple at a time," he said.

Tom Rickards, who lives across the street from the Wolf property, was also surprised by the number of dogs. "I never heard any noise," he said. "You never smelled anything, though once in a while you would get a whiff."

No signs proclaim the property as a kennel. There is a thick stand of bamboo and brush along the road, plus a tall chain link gate at the driveway keeping the buildings out of view.

"I go by here every day. I had no idea there was a kennel in there," said Vince McHale, who lives a short way up the road in Lincoln University. "I think if they care for the dogs, it's fine, but it's pretty hard to take care of a hundred dogs."

At the street, there was only a very faint odor from the dogs, but once closer to the buildings, the smell was stronger, even in the cold winter air.

Workers removing the dogs wore protective clothing and shoe covers that were quickly coated in waste, and sometimes they had to cover their mouths and noses with masks.

Getting so many animals out of the property was a challenge for the SPCA. Though it has two animal ambulances, one needed to remain at the SPCA on call, so it was necessary for it to rent two vans to transport the dogs.

Housing them will be a much bigger challenge.

"We're probably going to be asking other animal welfare facilities (to help house the dogs)," McDevitt said.

The rescued dogs will be kept separate from the SPCA's animals awaiting adoption while their health is checked.

If Wolf does not agree to surrender the animals to the SPCA, the case will go to court. Not until the case is resolved will any of the animals be available for adoption, and then only those that are physically and temperamentally suitable.

"It's going to be a struggle," McDevitt said. "We're going to need the community's support."