New details unveiled about alleged operators of Tiffin area puppy mill

TIFFIN, OH (TiffinOhio.net News) — New details have been unveiled about the Tiffin couple accused of running a puppy mill on State Route 53.

Orville Alabaugh and Debbra Alabaugh, both of Tiffin, own the puppy mill, according to the Wyandot County Sheriff’s Office, where 150 dogs were found during a raid. They say the couple could face potential criminal prosecution and charges through the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

The puppy mill, located at 5046 State Highway 53, is where police found 150 dogs in total — one of them deceased and 149 removed and homed at the Humane Society of Wyandot County.

According to the Better Business Bureau, the Alabaughs are owners of Kay’s Puppy Love, a Grove City-based pet store, grooming, and boarding center.

The Grove City store is just one of a handful where the Alabaughs sell the dogs they breed at the puppy mill, according to a source.

In addition, the Alabaughs also owned another Grove City-based company, Zoofari, which offered pet grooming services. It is unknown if any pets were sold at this location.

The Alabaughs’ business ventures didn’t stop at pets. Orville Alabaugh was accused in 2007 of running an “illegal tea room and restaurant business” in Tiffin.

In a complaint filed in Seneca County Common Pleas Court, the city of Tiffin and Wayne L. Moore, a North Sandusky Street resident, alleged that Alabaugh Enterprises’ “illegal use” of a historic home located at 175 N. Sandusky St. as a tea room and restaurant business “has caused street congestion, excessive noise, unsightly trash accumulation, and restaurant customers parking in prohibited areas.”

After ultimately losing their court battle, the couple decided to turn the North Sandusky Street home into the Roselawn Manor Catering & Brown Bag Lunches service, which was later closed.

The Alabaughs have a history of courtroom battles regarding their use of properties not being compliant with local laws and regulations, with at least eleven other addresses where an alleged change of use occurred without a zoning permit.

The Alabaughs could face charges from the Ohio Department of Agriculture for the puppy mill operation.

The 149 dogs are now housed at the Humane Society of Wyandot County. The organization is accepting donations to assist with the large-scale intake. The Seneca County Humane Society also announced their own fundraiser to benefit Wyandot County’s Humane Society.

This is a developing story.

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