2 kids, 16 dogs removed from filthy home

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Erie County Sheriff's deputies have arrested a Buffalo couple accused of living in deplorable conditions with two children and 16 dogs.

16 dogs, most of them puppies, were taken from a home on May Street off Walden in Buffalo late Thursday afternoon. Erie County Sheriff's deputies originally went there to execute an order of seizure. They had to call in the SPCA.

Lindsey Styborski of the Erie County SPCA said, "A lot of the puppies are malnourished. They were found living in a bathtub. There was feces all over the the house. It was just not a good situation for the family or the animals."

42-year-old Daren Stasiak and his 34-year-old wife, Deborah, were charged with endangering the welfare of children ages 11 and 13. The children are now in the custody of their grandparents.

Most of the puppies are believed to be Chihuahua-Rotweiler mixes. Some were undernourished. At least one of the adult dogs had to be euthanized.

"Some of them appear to have old injuries that were untreated. One smaller dog had a leg fracture that healed improperly," said Styborski.

Most had fleas and some to the extent of skin infection.

Styborski said, "I believe it's a case of the dogs kept breeding and because no one was fixed, they just got in over their heads. In a situation like that we encourage people to call the SPCA because when it comes down to this and I have to get called out by the Sheriff's department, then you're going to face charges. But if you call and ask for help ahead of time before you get in over your head, that's what we're here for, education. If you have a group of puppies and you just don't know what to do, you can't care for 10 dogs in your home, call one of the officers at the SPCA."

Daren and Deborah Stasiak were both remanded to the Erie County Holding Center on $500 bail. Deborah faces an additional charge of obstructing governmental administration.

The husband and wife will likely face animal cruelty charges once the SPCA completes its examination of all of the dogs.