More than 30 dogs have been rescued from a bungalow in Kent after a police welfare check found the homeowner had died.

The terrier dogs – aged from four weeks to 10 years – may have been left to fend for themselves for some time before the discovery of their owner’s body on 15 January, the RSPCA said.

It was thought that the property in Rainham was home to six dogs, but more were found following a thorough search of the house, which was so cluttered it took the RSPCA a week to find them all.

During the investigation, the RSPCA liaised with relatives of the deceased owner, who were unaware of the extent of the problems at the property.

The RSPCA said it had to clear the house and set up traps and cameras to catch and recover some of the more fearful dogs.

They are now being cared for at RSPCA animal centres and a small number will be taken on by a local charity.

Some have received medical treatment and all have been given thorough vet examinations before they are rehomed.

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Animal rescue officer Brian Milligan said: “This was a difficult exercise which saw the RSPCA deploy significant resources to clear the property and ensure we found all the dogs.

“We went to the house every day over a week to conduct extensive searches to rescue every dog – in the end we had to clear every room.”

Kent Police say they are not treating the death of the homeowner as suspicious.

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