89 Dogs Found In Filthy Conditions Need New Homes
MIAMI (CBS4) – Dozens of dogs and a few other animals, which were removed from a Southwest MIami-Dade home in filthy living conditions are continuing to improve and need new, loving, homes.
Miami-Dade Animal Services was forced to remove 89 dogs from the home.
Investigators said living conditions were so bad, they are considering filing animal cruelty charges against the former owner.
"They are not without food, not without love, because all of them had love. Even though there were a lot of dogs all of them had love", Maria Crespo told CBS4's Jamie Guirola.
Investigators said the animals did not have suitable living conditions with puppies and dogs crammed together in small cages, and standing in one to two inches of waste like it was mud.
"Some of them were rescued from the street. I picked them up and because I don't like seeing dogs in the street," Crespo said.
Miami-Dade Animal Services removed more than 90 pets from Crespo's home near Southwest 248th Street earlier in the week.
Rescuers said the home had no electric or water and that 27-year-old Crespo is in denial about the filthy living conditions.
Twenty six of the dogs that were rescued are being kept at the Humane Society of Greater Miami.
One puppy's coat is still stained from sitting in so much urine and feces for pretty much all of his life.
"It's been stressful for them but for the most part they are calming down. They are getting used to being out of the conditions that they were in and it's all uphill from here," said Laurie Hoffman with the Humane Society.
Crespo is also accused of hoarding ferrets, parakeets and two sugar gliders.
"It's one of the strange things about hoarding cases, is that people do what they do out of love and concern for animals but they just don't realize how deep they're getting into it," Hoffman added.
Miami-Dade Animal Services is providing veterinary care to the dogs and other animals found at the home. If you'd like to adopt one of the animals, Miami-Dade Animal Services has waived all adoption fees for the month of September.
Crespo said she'll miss her favorite dog 'Princess' the most.
"Like they took part of my life she was like my life and she was well taken care of," added Crespo.
The rescued dogs are available for adoption in West Palm Beach at the Humane Society of Greater Miami and Miami-Dade Animal Services.
