A Gold Hill couple was charged with 41 counts of animal neglect Friday, the same day the county animal shelter announced a Good Samaritan’s remarkable offer to help one of those animals.

Luisa Spadini of Ashland has offered to not only pay $170 in adoption and supply fees, but lifetime food and vet fees for Abby, the mother of five nursing Labrador-mix puppies. Spadini requested that she not be contacted for comments regarding the donation.

The offer surprised Medford resident Jerilyn Pool, 32, who’s providing foster care for Abby and her 5-week-old puppies.

"I think it’s amazing. It’s so incredibly generous," she said. "So many times you hear of people who don’t even want to take care of their own pets."

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And with the Jackson County District Attorney’s office filing charges against Anita and Brian McKenna of Sams Valley for 41 counts of animal neglect, a class B misdemeanor, animal control officials see it as something good coming out of a difficult situation.

In September the Animal Control officials seized 41 dogs from the McKennas’ Ramsey Road home after neighbors complained. The animals were in various states of neglect.

Of the 41 dogs, 19 were euthanized with severe health problems, and seven dogs were adopted out, leaving 15 still at the shelter, or in Abby’s case, at a foster home until they can be adopted.

From tumors and flea infestation to anxiety and depression, these dogs have many issues to solve, according to animal shelter staff.

The McKennas blocked Animal Control from finding homes for the remaining animals because they want some of them back. That is a civil court matter separate from the misdemeanor neglect charges they face.

"They wanted seven dogs they didn’t want to lose," said Doug McGeary, the assistant county counsel who put together the search warrant and was involved in the animals’ seizure.

McGeary the only concern is who should have legal rights to the dogs.

But Robert Casserly, program manager of Friends of the Animal Shelter, is worried that these animals are in limbo because they can’t be adopted and they can’t return to the McKennas.

"The sad part for these dogs is they just have to sit here," he said.

Abby and the puppies, all of which will be available for adoption in three or four weeks when the nursing pups complete weaning, are not among those the McKennas want to keep, said Casserly. He said Spadini’s offer is once-in-a-lifetime and he’s never heard of someone giving so much for a dog that isn’t theirs.

"She just lost her dog, Mozart," he said. "She wants to help, but she’s not ready to have another dog."

Colleen Macuk, director of the Jackson County Animal Shelter, said every day the dogs are not adopted costs the taxpayers money.

"We’re up into the $1,500 range in the testing and vaccinations," she said, adding that figure is in addition to the $8 cost to feed and care for each dog every day.

The situation isn’t as rare as Macuk would like. She said the shelter handles 250 to 300 animal neglect cases each year.

She’s got one bit of advice for dog owners.

"Don’t get more dogs than you can manage," she said. "That means food, that means veterinarian care, that means vaccinations."

The McKennas are scheduled to be arraigned Nov. 4. Neither the McKennas nor their attorney, Steve Johnson, could be reached for comment Friday.

For more information on adoption, donations or volunteering, call the shelter at 776-6644 or drop by the shelter at 5595 S. Pacific Highway from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and Saturday from noon to 4 p.m.

Reach reporter Meg Landers at 776-4481 or e-mail mlanders@mailtribune.com