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Cases of Animal Hoarding or Excess Breeding Can Create Health Threats  More than 2 dozen dogs are still recovering after being rescued in what Seminole County Animal Services is calling their largest seizure ever. On August 1st, 117 dogs were taken from an Altamonte Springs home when they were discovered living in conditions foul enough to create a potential health threat.
[A chihuahua recovering from health issues after being found in an Altamonte Springs home with 116 other dogs] There are six little Chihuahuas at Seminole County Animal Services, they’re the last of 117 dogs seized from what may have been a breeding operation gone out of control. Most of the dogs have been adopted out. Some pregnant dogs are in foster care. Animal Services Director Morgan Woodward says the house they lived in was so full of animal waste that a few of the dogs have lingering respiratory issues. Situations like this can create a health threat. It was severe enough that investigators had to wear respirators before entering the house. “So there’s the health threat there, just the amount of clutter inside the home was a health threat, and there were roaches, flies, spiders and more especially, rats running all throughout the house rampantly,” says Woodward. Woodward says it’s clear the dogs and the homeowner had been living like this for quite some time and that it’s hard to understand why no neighbors alerted authorities to the conditions. He says people should get to know their neighbors and be aware of whether someone is collecting animals or breeding animals- because while this particular case is extreme, he says it’s not an isolated incident. When the first group of seized dogs was put up for adoption, over 400 people turned out. The remaining dogs will be available for adoption once they’ve recovered from their medical issues. |
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