Jean Roberts, animal control officer for Mathews County, is seeking the public’s help in finding out who abandoned 13 beagles in Bavon.

Roberts said a jogger saw several beagle puppies on the side of Lighthouse Road last week and called to report them. School bus driver Yvonne Rich saw them, as well, and decided to round them up. She ended up with 11 dogs ranging in age from four months to five years, and she turned them in to the Gloucester-Mathews Humane Society.

Susan Thomas of the Mathews County Planning Office was working in the area later, said Roberts, and found another puppy, and Roberts scouted the area and found the 13th one on Monday.

Roberts said it was clear that the animals had been abandoned. Some were emaciated, with ribs showing, and had skin infections. They had no collars, but had marks on their necks where collars once were, and they were friendly and came to Rich when she called them.

Roberts said she has checked with local hunters and no one has re...