Animal protection officers with the Stanislaus Animal Services in Ceres, California, rescued 86 dogs from what they described as a “heart-wrenching” hoarding situation. Reports say Ceres police officers conducting a wellness check found the neglected animals huddled inside the home, which was in a filthy, “unlivable” state.
Dogs rescued from massive hoarding case in California home
On Tuesday, Mar. 19, Ceres police officers responded to the California home, as per CBS News, after a concerned individual called to request a wellness check on a resident living there.
Police say there were approximately 86 dogs and multiple occupants in the home, among them were an elderly woman and a child. Authorities reached out to the Stanislaus Animal Services to assist with the rescue.
According to WRAL News, the ammonia levels inside were so high that the home lacked sufficient oxygen, making it hard for animal services officers to enter the residence. Due to the low oxygen levels, officers called the local fire department to help evacuate the dogs from the “horrible” environment.
Vaughn Maurice, Stanislaus Animal Services executive director, told the news outlet, “The urination that was in the home was so bad that it really caused just a horrible environment — not just for the dogs but the people living there too.”
Ceres police arrested three adults from the residence on charges of animal cruelty, child abuse, and elder abuse. They include Lissette Stdenis aged 43, Seth Bedal, 43, and Freddy Vasquez, 22.
Straightaway, all the dogs were transported to the Stanislaus County Animal Shelter for medical evaluation and treatment. They’ll be up for adoption upon recovery.
“It was really heart-wrenching to see these dogs, some with their eyes coming out of their head, eyes that hadn’t seen the light of day,” Maurice shared.
Meanwhile, the elderly woman rescued was first taken to a hospital for evaluation before being placed into adult protection services. As for the 4-year-old juvenile girl, she is also under the care of child protection services after undergoing medical evaluation at a local hospital.
