More victims came forward Thursday in the case of a man selling sick puppies to people over the internet.
Dozens of animals were seized from a High Desert man's home Wednesday after he was accused of running a puppy mill and selling sick puppies for high prices across SoCal.
Officers with the Humane Society of San Bernardino Valley executed a search warrant at the Phelan home of Rick Kenney. The man calls himself a pastor on his Facebook page.
Investigators believe the man and his family sold dozens of sick dogs to people all over Southern California. At his Phelan home, dozens of animals were found living in filthy conditions.
Since the story originally broke on NBC4, the Humane Society of San Bernardino Valley said more and more people have been calling claiming they are also victims.
One of those victims is May, a woman who said she is a victim of buying a sick puppy. She didn't want to share her full name because she is afraid for her safety.
"Once I held that dog, I completely fell in love," she said.
May recently bought a puppy she named Caitlin from a seller on the internet. Days later, May said Caitlin got extremely sick and took her to a vet.
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"[She] tested positive for a giardia," May said.
Caitlin had a parasite that while common, does causes severe diarrhea. After spending about two thousand dollars and many sleepless night.
"I didn't sleep one second," May said.
Caitlin pulled through but May said when she tried to contact the seller, she found out he used a fake name and number.
Kenney was found to be a convicted felon who was arrested Wednesday for allegedly possessing a firearm.
The arrest happened during the search at his Phelan. Officers seized more than 30 dogs as part of an ongoing puppy mill investigation.
This isn't the first time these family members have been accused of selling sick animals.
NBC4 reported in 2011 that Kenney's wife, Trina Kenney, was convicted in for selling sick horses on the internet.
The NBC4 I-Team reported she was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison.
May hopes for a similar result in the puppy mill case.
"Selling sick puppies; it's just horrible, horrible," May said.
There are nearly two-dozen victims claiming to have a sick puppy.
