ADAMS COUNTY, Pa. — The Adams County SPCA recused nearly 40 abused animals from a trailer attached to the back of a bus over the weekend.
According to the Eastern Adams Regional Police Department, 50-year-old Shawn Hirschbine and a female occupant were found at the intersection of Red Hill Road and Hanover Street Saturday afternoon. Police say Hirschbine's vehicle was stuck in traffic and was attempting to move the vehicle.
After running his identification, police said there was an active warrant out of West Virginia for Hirschbine for the Distribution of Obscene Material to a Minor. Police arrested Hirschbine and searched his vehicles where they found both the disabled bus and trailer filled with birds, dogs, a bull and a pony.
"Conditions were horrible... there was hay all over the place, the birds and dogs chewed up most of the interior of the whole place, there was feces all over the smell was horrendous," said Chief Francis Staab of Eastern Adams Regional Police Department.
According to a post on the SPCA's Facebook, the mild night weather allowed SPCA workers to keep the animals secure in the bus and trailer with water until morning when they removed 30 chickens, roosters, ducks and turkeys, three German Shepherds, one Australian Shepherd, one bull and one pony.
Officials say the dogs were being fed the chickens and the bull and pony were being used for bestiality purposes in another state.
"I’m not going to go into a lot of detail because as I said, it’s been a really hard day," the SPCA said on Facebook. "This is not something we see every day and it’s not something we ever want to see again."
The Adams County SPCA has taken ownership of all the animals. The director declined to get on camera but says she believes the animals were abused and used for bestiality, stating that one of the animals has rectal damage.
However, the Chief says they have no indications or reporters that the animals were abused.
"The only thing the officers didn’t observe was any cruelty to animals," said Chief Staab.
While the Adams County SPCA continues to conduct its investigation into the alleged cruelty of the animals, the Eastern Adams Regional Police Chief said there is no further investigation on the department's end.
“If there is a crime and they were sexually abused, us (police) along with the SPCA should look into that for possible charges, but at this point, I have no knowledge that this occurred,” said Staab.
The Adams County SPCA says it will be closed to the public until further notice, citing the need for a few days to take care of the animals. The organization is asking for donations to help with the care of these animals—who are not available for adoption at this time.
"To say that this was a horrible situation is an understatement!!" the SPCA posted.