NORWICH – The local court presiding over an animal abuse case involving nearly 40 dogs has removed them from the defendant’s custody and awarded them to the SPCA.

Acting Town of German Judge Nelson Lucier signed the order Thursday afternoon, after the deadline elapsed for the dogs’ former owner to compensate the shelter for its services.

The dogs, many of them puppies, are all of the Jack Russell Terrier variety.

“Please be patient with us as we continue to care for them both medically and behaviorally. We are ensuring that they are all spayed and neutered prior to becoming available for adoption. Some of them will require a bit more time and care before they are able to have the surgery,” said Carol Hedlund, executive director of the SPCA.

Visitors won’t be able to actually see all of the dogs when they come to the shelter, because some of the animals need to be kept as calm as possible, said Hedlund.