The animal abuse case against a Somerset County couple continues to grow.

6 News first learned about Jesse Shay and Angela Bartels in January when officers  removed a half-dozen horses from the couple's property in Meyersdale. Then, we got wind of sick dogs being taken away from the couple's home in Somerset Boro late last week.

It's not the first time the couple has been in trouble with the law for animal cruelty. Police say they took nine cats and four dogs from the home for similar reasons last August.

Shay and Bartels were in court Wednesday for a summary trial on charges stemming back to August. Police said officers stepped in after receiving complaints from neighbors.

"Officers arrived on scene and found dogs and cats living in flea-infested conditions," said Somerset Borough Police Chief Randy Cox. "[Officers] issued a warning to the defendants requiring them to seek proper aid and care for the animals."

Police said they returned a few days later and discovered no change in the conditions. That's when they made the couple surrender the animals.

"The four dogs have been adopted. The one did have a leg problem which needed to be addressed," said Somerset County humane officer Melissa Leonard. "The cats were all severely flea-anemic and had, along with upper respiratory, many other problems. Some of them were so weak, they couldn't even hold their heads up. They all, unfortunately, did have to be euthanized."

On Wednesday, the couple pleaded guilty to animal cruelty for the incident in August. They were also ordered to pay full restitution to the Humane Society for its treatment of those animals.

As for the events of the past week, police said their investigation is far from over.

"I am comfortable in saying we anticipate filing charges," said Cox. "Of course, that's always subject to what the reports actually say, but at this point, we're more likely than not going to file charges."

That's something neighbors said can't come soon enough.

"We can't live our life anymore, because we have to witness this," said Beverly Miller, who lives nearby. "[We] can't even stand to be around it anymore."

As police continue their investigation, the search continues for at least two more puppies. Leonard said there could even be another litter, and she's asking anyone with information to give the Somerset County Humane Society a call.