BOZEMAN, Mont. — More than 30 sled dogs found abandoned without food, water or shelter were given clean bills of health Monday and began their trip to Maine, where they will live while a criminal case is pending.

The dogs are part of an animal cruelty case against John T. Hessert, who's charged with felony and misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty after officials found 33 emaciated sled dogs on his property.

District Judge Holly Brown ruled the dogs could be moved to Maine because they're not needed as evidence. They will be released to Hessert's father, Stephen Hessert, a Portland lawyer, who said he would bring the dogs back to Bozeman if they are needed.

Eight puppies will remain in foster care in Bozeman pending the outcome of the animal abuse trial set for Aug. 13.

According to court records, a man called animal control Jan. 30 to report that the dogs were being kept in an unsafe environment outside West Yellowstone near Targhee Pass.

When a veterinarian examined the dogs on Feb. 2, after a complaint was filed that the dogs were abandoned, it was determined that they were all "well below normal health and had not been being fed enough food," according to court records. One of the dogs had a collar embedded in its neck and other dogs had frostbite.