As an investigation by the Lake County Sheriff’s Department into an alleged puppy mill operation in Center Township continues, one retired veteran animal investigator says the cases are difficult.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Department evacuated more than 40 dogs Thursday from a Crown Point property on the suspicion of a puppy mill operation.

The department on May 24 received an anonymous tip about a man who had been purchasing “unusually large amounts of dog food” and animal medical supplies, department spokeswoman Pam Jones said in a release. After securing search warrants for the Crown Point property and a farm on the outskirts of Rensselaer, officers discovered dozens of dogs — among them a mountain dog, seven American bull dogs and 29 French bull dogs — in various conditions, Jones said.

At least four of the dogs found were dead, she said, and a 41-year-old man is being questioned.

The investigation is ongoing, but Lake County Sheriff Oscar Martinez said in the release that the person of interest may have been illegally performing surgery on some of the animals as well.

Retired Lake County Detective Sgt. Michelle Dvorscak, who investigated animal crimes, said over the years she dealt with a number of different animal cruelty cases involving alleged illegal medical procedures.

Some cases involved cropping ears and tails in apartments since most veterinary offices deem the procedure cosmetic and unnecessary. Another case involved an individual accused of performing medical procedures such as cesarean sections on animals he was breeding.

During the latter case, Dvorscak said the Indiana Board of Animal Health informed prosecutors and investigators that the way Indiana laws are written individuals may perform veterinary medicine including surgery on your own animal but not on another person’s animal.

Animal cruelty cases are difficult to prosecute under the best circumstances.

“Every other criminal case is way easier, you have victims who can articulate what happened to them. Dogs are like mute victims. That’s probably the hardest part,” Dvorscak said. Investigations must use the circumstantial evidence to deduce what has happened.

“That’s why a lot of cases are basically pleaded out,” she said.

About 90% of cruelty cases end up in deferred prosecution, in which the case is dismissed if the offender stays out of trouble for a year. In the case involving c-section surgery, initial charges of 11 counts of felony animal mutilation and 72 counts of animal neglect were plead down to three charges including failing to register as a breeder and two animal cruelty charges.

While puppy mills may be common in other parts of the state, the operations are rarer in more urbanized areas.

According to bailingoutbenji.com, a website tracking U.S. Department of Agriculture registered puppy mills, Indiana is home to 218 puppy mills with two in Lake County and one in Porter County. The vast majority of the puppy mill operations in the state are located in LaGrange, Elkhart, Allen, Adams, Wayne, Martin and Daviess counties.

It is unclear at this time if the current investigation involves a USDA registered breeder.

cnapoleon@chicagotribune.com

Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.