ASHLEY, Ohio (WCMH) — The Ohio Division of Wildlife is asking for the public’s help after several dogs were found near a shooting range in Delaware County.

Officers Chad Gote and Maurice Irish received a report that dogs were found at Delaware Wildlife Area on Horseshoe Road in Ashley, near the shooting range. A social media post noted there wasn’t an owner with the animals when they were found.

The officers, along with two Delaware County dog wardens and a citizen, caught all of the dogs. Thirteen dogs were taken in, with 10 of those now at the Humane Society of Delaware County and are up for adoption.

“It’s definitely against the law,” Delaware County Dog Warden Mitchell Garrett said. “Don’t do that. Don’t just abandon your pets places. It’s against the law. It’s actually, it’s in the same code as neglect and abuse and those type of fines carry sometimes jail time.”

It took the dog warden and ODNR about two days to round up all of the dogs.

“It’s not normal, honestly,” Garrett said. “It’s one of those things where people, unfortunately just don’t ask for the help they probably need. If you get into a situation where you just have way too many pets, call. Ask for somebody.”

Most of the dogs were taken in by the Delaware County Humane Society to receive medical attention, and it’s happening more often.

“It’s happening more and more and unfortunately, I think we’re going to see more of it,” Jana Cassidy, executive director of the Humane Society of Delaware County, said.

Ten of the dogs will be up for adoption at the humane society, which can be followed on social media for updates.

“Any animal that comes into our shelter the intake includes medical, so we’re going to make sure that, head to toe, we look those dogs over and we take care of any medical needs that they may have,” Cassidy said.

While it is unknown what led to these dogs being abandoned, Cassidy said cost sometimes plays a factor in families having to give up their pets.

“It is getting very expensive to have pets these days, and a lot of people are feeling that crunch from all different sides to the point where they have to make really difficult decisions,” Cassidy said.

She said there is not a shelter in the country with any vacancy and that is affecting the animals first.

“There are more animals than we have homes for,” Cassidy said. “Last year, we adopted 2,088 animals from this tiny little shelter and it was a record year for us and an 18% increase over last year.”

Anyone with information on how the dogs may have been abandoned can call the Delaware County dog warden at 740-368-1915.