140 Dogs Were Rescued from a Single Multimillion-Dollar House, Reportedly Covered in Filth
Is passive neglect as bad as active abuse? It often seems to be, particularly when the final result ends up much the same.
Failing to care for basic bodily functions can damage frames just as much as a blow, and not feeding someone or something hurts every bit as much as intentional harm.
Just think about this recent case out of Orange County, California. Popularized in shows such as “The O.C.,” Orange County has a reputation as a tony spot for the wealthy.
But upper-crust locales can still hold horrors. According to KABC-TV, authorities descended on a multimillion-dollar mansion on May 30. What they emerged with shocked first responders and onlookers alike.
Animal control brought some 140 Shih-Tzu-like dogs out of the property. The conditions within the mansion appalled those who saw — and smelled — it.
KNBC reported that Police Sgt. Phil McMullin said, “I was shocked to learn that people were living inside the house, based on the conditions that I saw and could smell just from the front door opening. There was very little furniture inside of that residence, and there was dog excrement, urine all over, inside, on the floor.”
The dogs are currently receiving individualized treatment from Orange County Animal Care after being removed from the homehttps://t.co/QbqFZSVwN7
— People Pets (@PEOPLEPets) June 3, 2019
Responders had to don hazmat suits in order to remove the dogs one by one.
“It’s an incredible feat to be able to bring everybody in and get them all evaluated medically, get them all treated and, of course, housing them and caring for them,” Jessica Novillo with O.C. Animal Care told reporters.
Indeed, medical assessments alone could reveal the need for further treatments. Some of the poor animals were reportedly found covered in feces and urine.
Fortunately, the community sprang into action. A group of women from San Clemente banded together to purchase and transport everything the dogs would need in the short run.
In addition to doggy supplies, they purchase an amazing 500 pounds of food. Then they went to the shelter that housed the needy canines.
Leashes of Love’s Tracey Denney said, “We’ve been working all night and woke up this morning and were able to meet at 8:15 at my house. Got all the orders of all the people who had given us stuff, loaded up our cars, and now we’re here.”
But what about the animals’ owner? Well, he doesn’t exactly fit the image that you’d imagine of a neglectful owner.
Surprisingly, the owner is an attorney with a law firm. But he may not remain there much longer.
The firm has actually told him to stay away. “We have many animal lovers at the firm who are troubled by the reported conditions and hope that all the rescued dogs are safe and healthy,” it said in a statement.
Though McMullin stated that the owner received misdemeanor animal cruelty citations, he demurred about whether or not police would level felony charges.
Once the dogs have been evaluated and can be adopted out, they will be. Meanwhile, the shelter caring for the dogs is urging anyone interested in adopting to come in as soon as possible to adopt any of their other available pups to help make room.
“We were fortunate that over the last week, we had over 170 adoptions just with the fee waiver, which made some room,” Novillo said. “But obviously now we’re back at capacity.”
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