SOUTH BEND — A local man is in a custody dispute with the city of South Bend over almost two dozen dogs, and it's costing the city thousands of dollars to care for them.

Animal Control took the 23 dogs from the man's California Street garage last month.

Police found them after reports of a foul smell. They found the dogs in cages inside the garage, some with skin conditions and eye problems.

The owner wants at least some of the dogs returned; the city says he shouldn't get them back.

The judge was supposed to hear arguments earlier this week but that hearing has been delayed. Meanwhile, the city's cost to care for these animals is quickly adding up.

Today, the dogs are doing fine. Animal Control officers say they're in better shape than three weeks ago when they were found in cages, stacked inside a California Street garage, all fed well, authorities say, but many with matted hair, and some with skin and eye conditions.

The prosecutor's office says it won't file charges against the man who lives there because he wasn't doing anything wrong in the eyes of the law.

But in the eyes of the city he was, by violating city code for the number of animals you can have on your property. And Animal Control says the man shouldn't get any of them back.

“We do not feel they were being properly cared for,” said Gary Libbey from South Bend Animal Control. “So we would like to obtain custody of the animals and find proper homes where they will be housed and cared for the rest of their lives properly.”

A hearing to decide has been delayed so the owner's lawyer could have time to study the case.

All the while, at the South Bend Animal Control shelter, the cost to take care of these pooches is adding up.

“To feed them, clean up after them, get them outside, exercised ... ” Libbey said.

In the 23 days they've been at the shelter so far, at $10 a day per dog, plus the cost to groom them, the total cost to care for the animals according to Animal Control is about $10,000.

When the judge agreed to delay the matter earlier this week, he ordered the dogs' owner to pay $1,000 to Animal Control toward their care.

As for the rest of the costs? We’ll have to wait and see.

The hearing has been rescheduled for Monday.

We tried to reach the owner through his lawyer and so far haven't heard back.