The adoption of hundreds of dogs and puppies the state seized from a kennel in Buxton will begin within the next 10 days.

The animals will become available to the public as soon as they are spayed and neutered and receive health clearances, according to Norma Worley, the director of the state’s Animal Welfare Program.

“We’ve already started spaying and neutering,” she said.

The Biddeford District Court awarded custody of 249 dogs to the state in September. The state said many of the dogs seized Aug. 21 at the J’aime Kennel, 35 Paucek Road, Buxton, in August were diseased.

Kennel owners John and Heidi Frasca appealed the decision, but they didn’t file a $867,000 security deposit the court required to make the appeal go forward. The security deposit requested was to care for the dogs for nine months, the anticipated length of an appeal.

The state filed a motion asking the court for dismissal of the appeal. Worley said the court granted the state’s request Nov. 15.

John Frasca, 53, failed to appear both at hearing for possession of the dogs in September and at an arraignment hearing Nov. 14 to face 25 charges of cruelty to animals. The judge issued a warrant for the arrest of Frasca, who had previously denied all charges.

Most of the dogs and puppies are being kept in temporary quarters rented by the state at Happy Tails on Bishop Street in Portland. Some are also housed at the Animal Refuge League and the Animal Welfare Society.

Andrew Ferreira, executive director of the Animal Refuge League, said Monday five to 10 dogs will be available for adoption at a time. The shelter will have Shetland sheepdogs (also called shelties) and Papillions, two small breeds, for adoption. The process will follow the shelter’s normal procedures, he said.

The French bulldogs that were seized will be sent to a rescue group that handles the breed. Some of those dogs have health problems that the rescue group is prepared to handle, he said.

Steve Jacobsen, executive director of the Animal Welfare Society in Kennebunk, said the seized dogs weren’t housebroken and had lived at the Buxton kennel without toys and socialization.

“The guys may come with a little bit of baggage,” Jacobsen said.

“We have a lot of work to do,” Jacobsen said. “We want the best for the dogs and for the folks adopting them.”

On Oct. 31, the Frascas filed a $900 million lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Portland, claiming the state violated their Constitutional rights in the seizure.

The Frascas couldn’t be reached by telephone Monday for comment.

A CLOSER LOOK

All the Buxton dogs coming up for adoption through the Animal Refuge League in Westbrook and the Animal Welfare Society in Kennebunk will be posted on the shelters’ Web sites:

www.arlgp.org and www.animalwelfaresociety.org.