SAN ANTONIO -- For months, neighbors have complained about the noise and smell coming from a home in the 3400 block of Lake Tahoe in southeast San Antonio.

On Thursday, animal control officers acted on those complaints and raided the home, where they found 27 dogs living in what officers described as "filthy conditions."

San Antonio residents can legally own up to five animals.

Eddie Wright, an animal cruelty investigator, said the female homeowner appears to be an animal hoarder.

"She's a nice lady. She likes dogs and it overwhelmed her," said Wright.

Wright said many people consider animal hoarding to be a disease.

"It just keeps adding and adding, and before you know it, it's just over their head. They don't know how to stop it," said Wright. "The people may mean well, but in essence, most of the time they're causing more injury and damage to the animals."

Wright said that even though the house was filled with urine and feces, it appeared the animals were well cared for.

The dogs were taken to an animal care facility. If they're found to be healthy, the animals will be available for adoption.

Wright said the owner has the right to keep five of the dogs.

He said there's little animal control officers can do to keep the woman from owning animals.

"There's nothing at this time we can do to make her stop," said Wright. There's no law in the books that we can order her not to have any more dogs."