ASHEBORO, N.C. — Authorities in Randolph County have closed down a dog breeding operation. Officials said they seized dozens of dogs that had been living in inhumane conditions.

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The breeder, Lynda Johnson, said she did not have enough money to properly care for the dogs.

Mi Mi Cooper, the county's health director, said many of the animals had lesions on their feet caused by walking in feces for a prolonged period. They had also been penned up.

Officials said the dogs are all purebreds. The breeds include boxers, Labradors, cocker spaniels and Weimaraners.

However, county animal shelter officials said it was difficult to find room to house the additional animals.

"This time of year, we are often full with stray animals, so we had no room for 44 additional dogs," Cooper said.

County animal shelter officials said the dogs are now being fostered by the different breed groups. The dogs will be adopted out by those groups.

"We'll be taking them to a veterinarian for evaluation and then they will leave there and be fostered by our people, and then they will be placed in homes," said Carol Parron, who works for a Weimaraner rescue group.