He was paying $700 a month to rent a home off McKee Road in eastern Limestone County, and he wasn’t even living in it.

But when lawmen raided the residence Monday night they found the brick home was being used for something else — living quarters for three pit bulldogs guarding a marijuana growing operation.

“We haven’t made an arrest as yet, but we know who the suspect is, and an arrest is forthcoming,” said Limestone County Sheriff Mike Blakely. “We know he is supposed to be in Shreveport, La., working. We need to talk to him.”

The suspect is a 23-year-old Trinity man, said city and county drug agents. The man had rented the house and is believed responsible for setting up the marijuana-growing operation. Authorities said they believe the marijuana had been growing inside the house since last December.

Authorities confiscated 15 marijuana plants, ranging in size from 2-foot to 6-foot tall, and growing equipment that included humidifiers, liquid fertilizer and other items.

“The owner of the house had a clause in the rent agreement that no dogs could be kept at the house and became suspicious that dogs were there and went to check it out. He found the marijuana growing inside the house.

“He had been seeing two people go in and out of there for a while,” the sheriff said. “He knew something just wasn’t right.”

Blakely said drug agents found marijuana had been harvested in one room of the house. He said the three dogs were found at the house, including one that had been staying inside.

“There was dog poop all in the house,” the sheriff said. “It was obvious no one was staying there, but they had been in there watering the plants and feeding the dogs.”

Investigator Randy King said the dogs were friendly when drug agents arrived and entered the home Monday night.

“We had no problems with the dogs,” he said. “The owner of the house had already taken them outside. I think the dogs were just glad to see someone.”

The confiscated marijuana plants have a street value of $30,000, according to Investigator Lance Royals.

“The home was primarily a grow house,” Royals said. “They had aluminum around the walls to reflect the light to the plants.”

Blakely said the man who rented the home had also put up a $750 damage deposit.

“They had holes all in the walls where they had been running cords and light to the plants,” the sheriff said. “The dogs had messed up the house and the sheet rock was damaged.”