Linda Blythe-McNally said she is thankful for the return of her animals taken by the Hillside SPCA in Pottsville after a June fire.

“I felt bullied honestly from them. Our lives were torn upside down,” she said.

Blythe-McNally picked up all of her reptiles, the Harlequin macaw, and three pit bulls on Friday from the shelter. She signed over three dogs and two bunnies.

Pottsville Fire Chief James Misstishin Sr. previously described the condition the dogs were in as “deplorable” with feces in cages. No food or water visible. Urine in the cages.

Seven dogs, three of which belonged to her father who recently died, two bunnies, nine reptiles, three tegu lizards, a ball python, a snapping turtle, an African spurred tortoise, a leopard gecko, iguana, bearded dragon and the macaw were at the 457 E. Arch St. house during the fire. All survived.

Blythe-McNally disagrees with the description of the conditions. She explained why the animals were kept the way they were.

James Bohorad, attorney for the Hillside SPCA board, said three members of the executive committee, Ron Brown, Patti Hoake and Sylvia Nabholz, made the decision to return the animals. He said the board was willing to release all animals to Blythe-McNally.

“They feel it’s best the animals be returned,” he said.

Bohorad said it’s his understanding the owner has a new residence in Lehigh County, something she confirmed. He said the investigation was going to be dropped.

Blythe-McNally said before the animals were returned that she was going to sue because the dogs were posted for adoption 24 hours after being taken and a social media post about an open investigation.

Dana Smith-Mansell, a humane cruelty officer, said she spoke to Blythe-McNally about the animals.

“My investigation was confidential as it is supposed to be. I did not post any pictures and I did not make any comments, and I was working with the resources that were at the scene,” she said.

Tricia Moyer-Mentzer, who had been the executive director of the shelter before being fired in June, disagreed with returning the animals. Bohorad declined to give a reason for her termination.

“These are not people who should be getting these animals back,” she said.

She said the investigation should have run its course.

“I would have preferred them to proceed with charges and let the judge decide who made any mistakes,” she said.

Moyer-Mentzer also said the executive committee should not have decided to return the animals, saying they lack humane officer training.

The dogs were underweight, she said.

Bandit, who had numerous bite wounds, was given to Blythe-McNally’s sister. He is doing fine, she said.

A tortoise was morbidly obese and passed away.

“He could not even get his legs back into his shell,” Moyer-Mentzer said.