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CAYCE (WACH) -- Six dogs are dead and a man is in jail after a call to Cayce Public Safety about aggressive dogs running free ended in gunfire.

According to public safety spokesman Lt. Jeff Simmons, officers responded to a home on Congaree Drive Tuesday, where they found multiple dogs owned by Dennis Reidy, 62, kept in what officers call "deplorable" conditions.

The inside of the house was covered with several inches of feces and urine that produced such a foul odor that officers were unable to enter the home, said Simmons. He said the smell was so strong that officers were overcome by it while standing on the roadway in front of the house.

Simmons says as officers attempted to serve a search warrant on the home they were attacked by a pack of ferel dogs inside the home, and an officer was bitten severely enough to require a trip to the hospital.

As a result, Simmons said Cayce Public Safety Chief Charles McNair called in SWAT and other officers who used breathing masks to again attempt to remove the dogs. Officials say those officers were also attacked and had to shoot and kill six of the aggressive dogs after attempts using catch poles and tranquilizers failed.

“In 36 years I have seen some deplorable conditions but nothing compares to this. Had these animals escaped I have no idea what we would have faced,” said Chief McNair.

Officers were able to rescue a total of six dogs from the home -- two from a room separated from the aggressive pack, and four from the back yard. Officers also found dog carcasses hidden behind the residence, said Simmons.

Simmons said officers are working with Project Pet to place the rescued dogs strong enough to recover, although some have already been euthanized due to their poor condition.

Reidy is charged with seven counts of maltreatment of animals and one count of maintaining a public nuisance. Reidy is being held at the Lexington County Detention Center awaiting a bond hearing.

What do you think about the images taken inside the home? What about the officers' response to the situation? Please leave your comments below.