WASHINGTON — More than 30 dogs were removed from a Southeast, D.C. home that was the scene of a day-long active barricade situation on Wednesday. Three officers were shot in the process of trying to serve a man inside the home with an arrest warrant for animal cruelty.
According to the Humane Rescue Alliance, 31 dogs were found inside a home in the 5000 block of Hanna Place, SE. Eleven of the dogs were puppies, as young as 2 months old, and 20 were adult dogs. They all appear to be American bullies or some mix thereof. Dogs were found on the first and second floor, as well as in the basement. Some dogs were found in cages, while others were loose.
The MPD officers shot were part of the criminal apprehension unit helping the Humane Rescue Alliance (HRA) serve the warrant.
Currently, all the dogs are being housed in a secure location, recovering from the trauma, according to HRA officials.
"So many of you have reached out about the dogs, and we appreciate how much you want to help them," said Lisa LaFontaine, president and CEO of HRA. "Right now, our priority is to focus on their care and wellbeing, and to allow them to settle in after what was an exceptionally traumatic day in their lives."
LaFontaine also added that for those interested in animal adoptions, HRA currently has nearly 100 other dogs looking for new homes.
The man who was being served with a warrant, Stephen Rattigan -- who also goes by the name Julius James -- now faces additional charges on top of the animal cruelty, including armed assault with intent to kill. He made his first court appearance Thursday afternoon and was ordered held without bond.
The three officers shot Wednesday while trying to serve Rattigan with an arrest warrant were released from the hospital Thursday morning in seemingly good spirts.
"We are thrilled and relieved that they are on the mend, and the whole HRA team is thinking about them, and their loved ones, as they recover," LaFontaine said. "While we are always grateful for their partnership, we especially want to honor them today. Together with our own field services officers, our MPD partners encounter unpredictable and volatile situations in the course of our work. We truly could not fulfill our mission without them, and we thank them for their courage.”
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