Maria Kacik | The Gazette

MEDINA TWP. — SPCA officials and township police searched a Church Road property Tuesday morning and seized several farm animals.

Candace Hertzel, executive director of the Medina County chapter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, said the organization received a search warrant “to gather
evidence for potential animal cruelty” at Ed Lind Livestock, 3333 Church Road. The farm buys and sells animals to be used for food, she said.

After seeing conditions there, they left with a goat, a calf, four ducks, four chickens and two pigs, she said.

ABOVE: Christian Courtwright, humane officer for the Medina County chapter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, feeds the calf Wednesday that was seized from a Medina Township livestock farm Tuesday. Several other farm animals also were taken from the property. BELOW: The Medina County chapter of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals seized several animals Tuesday from Ed Lind Livestock, 3333 Church Road, Medina Township. (Maria Kacik | Gazette)

“We will seize animals as evidence for animal cruelty cases or if animals are in need of immediate attention,” said Hertzel, who noted she could not speak specifically about the Church Road farm.

The SPCA, a nonprofit, has the authority to enforce animal cruelty laws in Medina County.

Hertzel said the SPCA had received tips regarding the farm, and within the last two weeks, a humane officer conducted an investigation into practices at the farm.

Hertzel said the SPCA’s investigation will continue and animal cruelty charges may be filed sometime next week.

The animals are being kept at an undisclosed foster home, she said.

Contact Maria Kacik at (330) 721-4049 or mkacik@ohio.net.