MELROSE, Fla. — A Melrose man was arrested last week after deputies and county animal services workers removed dozens of dogs from his property, culminating a months-long investigation into reports of aggressive animals, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office said.
Mark Plosila, 67, was arrested Sept. 3, and charged with one felony and one misdemeanor count of animal cruelty. Deputies executed a search warrant at his home on Swan Lake Drive, where animal services staff removed 36 husky-mixed dogs, including 11 puppies.
The arrest followed what Putnam County Animal Services called a months-long investigation after neighbors reported aggressive dogs at the property. Recent complaints included dogs attacking each other in the yard, dogs climbing the fence to escape, and as many as 15 to 20 dogs loose in the yard at once.
A civil suit led to a court order in August requiring Plosila to surrender all but five of his dogs. When animal services attempted to enforce the order on Aug. 25, deputies accompanied staff because of safety concerns. While workers tried to contact Plosila, several dogs attacked two dogs tethered to a vehicle, and Plosila did not come outside to intervene, according to the sheriff’s office.
On Aug. 31, the sheriff’s office was added to the civil court order and separately obtained a search warrant on criminal animal cruelty charges.
“We realize for the residents in this neighborhood, the process to get to this point was a long one,” Sheriff H.D. “Gator” DeLoach said. “No one should feel afraid to walk in their neighborhood because someone cannot control their dogs.”
Plosila was booked into the Putnam County Jail and released on $11,000 bond. As a condition of his release, he is barred from possessing any animals, including dogs.
Because of the dogs’ reported aggression, animal services conducted temperament evaluations on the animals removed from the property. The sheriff’s office said 15 dogs were euthanized — eight at the scene and seven later at the animal services facility.
“We cannot compromise the safety of our neighborhoods and community,” DeLoach said, calling the case a “unique undertaking due to the number of animals, the overgrowth and trash covering the area, the possibility of dogs climbing over fences into the neighborhood and the threat of being attacked by dogs who were documented for aggressive behaviors.”
The 11 puppies remain with their mothers and are not yet available for adoption. Once weaned, they will move to foster homes for socialization. The sheriff’s office said remaining dogs are being housed at the shelter to decompress before becoming available for adoption.
Animal Services said it currently needs puppy food donations and will soon be seeking foster homes for the puppies.
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