About 75 poodles were found in squalid conditions this weekend in the home of a Duchesne County breeder who had become ill and unable to care for them.

Lloyd Weaver, 64, of Tabiona, had been raising the dogs. He was taken to Uintah Basin Medical Center on Thursday, where he died, according to the Duchesne County Sheriff's Office. Weaver had little contact with neighbors or family, and police said the dogs went without food or water for about five days. As much as a foot of feces was found in some parts of the home, and many dogs were covered in feces and had wire in their hair.

The Roosevelt Animal Shelter contacted several agencies to find the dogs a place to stay. Three poodles had to be euthanized, and at least four were found dead in the house.

The Utah Animal Adoption Center, 1955 N. Redwood Road in Salt Lake City, took in 16 poodles, one of which is pregnant.

The poodles received food and water at the center and were getting haircuts Monday to remove feces and other dirt. Some appeared skinny, but most were returning to full health.

"This is the worst that we've had," said JoAnn Ortega, a Utah Animal Adoption Center board member.

To help free space for the Roosevelt shelter, the center also took two border collie puppies, a wheaten terrier with her seven puppies and a springer mix mom with her three puppies.

"If they would have been there any longer they wouldn't have made it," said kennel manager Sharel Reffitt.

The no-kill shelter usually has about 50 dogs but now has about 80 and is seeking to quickly adopt out as many as possible, Ortega said.

The center will take in a number of the remaining 45 dogs that still need homes as soon as space becomes available, Ortega said.

For information, or to adopt the animals or donate to the center, visit www.utahanimaladoptioncenter.org or call 801-355-7387.

"They're going to make wonderful dogs," Reffitt said.