The Frederick County Animal Control Division is investigating why four dogs were left to roam free in the Ballenger Creek area on Saturday.

Director Harold Domer says his office received a call from a citizen on Saturday afternoon that the dogs were running at large in the area.  Animal Control Officer Scott Long responded, and managed to secure the four dogs, which were found along Ballenger Creek Pike and Corporate Drive, and bring them to the Animal Shelter on Rosemont Avenue.

Domer says all four had matted coats, overgrown toenails and other health problems, including skin infections. "Because of the severe matting, required us to actually groom the dogs because they were suffering as a result of the severe matted coats that they had," he says.

He says there were three males between two to five years of age, and a female who was pregnant, She gave birth early Monday morning. "She actually delivered five puppies, all appear to be very healthy," says Domer.

Anyone who has information on the dogs or their owner is asked to call Officer Scott Long at 301-600-1544.

Domer says any owner of a dog, cat or other pet who can't take care of it can drop it off at the Animal Shelter, which has an open admissions policy. He says it's much safer than letting the animals roam wild. "The risk with that is just abandoning or placing outside without monitoring supervisions subjects them to coming into contact with other animals, or being hit by a car," he says.

For anyone who owns a pet, Domer says they are required to provide adequate food and water, and to take them to the veterinarian periodically for their checkups and their vaccinations. "Any dog or cat over four-months of age has to be rabies vaccinated, which is critical so they're not subjected to the rabies virus," he says.