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WISCONSIN RAPIDS - An anonymous tip about a "puppy mill" operation led to the South Wood County Humane Society taking in 84 dogs, many of them diseased or injured, officials said Thursday. Pet carriers filled part of the humane society as the dogs were checked by a veterinarian and documented. Plans called for them to be distributed to other humane society officers throughout Wisconsin to be adopted out. Phil Hartley, executive director of the South Wood County Humane Society, said 84 dogs were surrendered from an undisclosed residence. He said 75 of the dogs were toy breeds and had been kept in a room 20 feet by 20 feet with two or three dogs in each cat-sized kennel. Wood County Dispatch had received an anonymous call at 4:35 p.m. Wednesday reporting there was a puppy mill in the town of Dexter with dead animals, no food and no water. Dozens of the dogs were diseased or injured, but only a few had life-threatening ailments, said Kim Krause, a veterinarian from the local Animal Medical and Surgical Clinic. "They're unkempt. They haven't had the basic necessities of haircuts, bathing, and nail trimming," she said. "As far as we can tell, most are in fairly good body shape. The main thing we are seeing is dental disease and problems with eyes and ears." Some were also suffering from mange, other skin diseases and infections, and injured limbs, she said. The animals were surrendered voluntarily, Wood County Humane Officer Nancy Powell said. She declined further comment on the case but said it remained under investigation. Some of the pure and mixed breeds at the site included the Boston terrier, chihuahua, Italian greyhound, maltese, papillon, dalmatian, poodle, and Norwegian elkhound. Puppy mills are large breeding facilities that produce the animals for sale in pet auctions or other outlets. (Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)