A 72-year-old man was taken to York Hospital for evaluation after causing a 30-minute standoff at his Spring Garden Twp. home on Oct. 18, 2012. Afterward, officials temporarily took his three dogs to the York County SPCA. (Liz Evans Scolforo)

No charges will be filed against a 72-year-old man who caused a brief standoff at his former Spring Garden Township home last week.

He surrendered peacefully after about a half-hour and was taken to York Hospital for possible mental-health issues.

Spring Garden Township Police Chief George Swartz said that after reviewing last Thursday's incident, his department decided not to file charges.

The man lived in a small home in the 600 block of Richland Avenue that was set to be demolished. A county Area Agency on Aging caseworker had been working with the man for several months to find him a new home, according to the chief.

Part of that process was enlisting the help of the York County SPCA, which agreed to keep the man's three dogs until a new home was found for him, Swartz said.

But when an SPCA official and the agency on aging caseworker went to the man's home about 12:50 p.m. Oct. 18, he became afraid they were taking his dogs for good and threatened them, claiming to have a gun, the chief said.

Police talked him out of his home after about 30 minutes and he was taken to the hospital.

Officers later found, and seized, a shotgun and pistols from the man's former home, Swartz said.

-- Staff writer Liz Evans Scolforo can also be reached at levans@yorkdispatch.com.