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Dozens of dogs that traveled thousands of miles from a Texas ranch are now recovering at Brandywine Valley SPCA, with its West Chester, Pennsylvania campus currently caring for nine of them. Staff say they’re scrambling to make room for more as the rescue continues.
As of October 3, 2026, the number of dogs voluntarily surrendered by Dogtown Ranch had grown to 67, after an additional 15 were handed over. That followed an earlier wave of 52 dogs transported to the Philadelphia region, with 19 dogs still remaining on the property as the ranch’s founder committed to shutting the nonprofit down entirely.
Sara Smith of Brandywine Valley SPCA told CBS News the organization felt it had no choice but to step in. “We just couldn’t say no,” she said, noting there were simply too many dogs in need.
A Milam County, Texas grand jury had issued a “no bill” on September 17, closing a sheriff’s office investigation into animal cruelty allegations at the ranch due to insufficient evidence. That came after at least 36 unannounced county inspections and a separate facility tour involving the Sheriff’s Office, the SPCA of Texas, and a licensed veterinarian.
Even with the criminal case closed, Brandywine Valley SPCA staff who arrived on site found animals needing urgent medical care. One dog, Baby Reina, was found barely responsive and was rushed to an emergency veterinary clinic immediately upon intake, continuing to receive around-the-clock care as of October 3.
Milam County Sheriff Mike Clore confirmed his department coordinated with Brandywine Valley SPCA on the voluntary surrender and said deputies will keep monitoring the dogs still on the property. The rescue effort was led on-site by Brandywine Valley SPCA CEO Adam Lamb, along with more than a dozen staff members and Aimee Sadler of Dogs Playing for Life.
Under Pennsylvania law, dogs imported from out-of-state shelter operations must complete a mandatory quarantine before being released for adoption. Several of the dogs arrived at the Humane Society of Harrisburg Area campus to begin that protocol.
To help make space for the dogs still arriving, Brandywine Valley SPCA is waiving adoption fees for adult dogs six months and older at all of its locations, and is also accepting donations toward medical and sheltering costs.
My thoughts:
The grand jury detail is worth sitting with before anything else. A “no bill” closing the criminal investigation doesn’t mean conditions at the ranch were fine, it means there wasn’t enough evidence to prosecute, and the ranch shutting down entirely alongside a 67-dog voluntary surrender suggests something was clearly unsustainable there regardless of what criminal charges could be proven.
It’s also worth noting the gap between what one shelter can absorb and what Pennsylvania law requires before any of these dogs can actually go home with someone. Sixty-seven dogs is a lot to take in at once, and a mandatory quarantine period means even willing adopters have to wait, which is exactly why the shelter is pushing fee waivers and donations right now rather than treating this as already resolved.
Source: Hoodline, reporting by Michael Taylor, based on reporting from Brandywine Valley SPCA, CBS News, KCEN-TV, WTAW, CoastTV, WPMT FOX43, and StreetInsider
