Nearly 200 Dogs Rescued From Breeder’s Home, 20 Found Dead In Freezer

Around 200 dogs were rescued from a prominent canine breeder’s home in New Jersey on Tuesday. Many of the rescued dogs were pregnant, some of them were sick.

The Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MCSPCA) told NBC New York that it received reports of a dog hoarding situation in an undisclosed location in Hunterdon County. The organization, accompanied by law enforcement, turned up at the residence to find 20 dogs dead in a freezer and 188 more living in the home and garage in deplorable conditions.

"All of these dogs seem to have had limited human contact and minimal to no veterinary care," the organization said. The lot rescued, were almost entirely made up of terriers and dachshunds.

They suffered from a host of ailments including matted hair and clouded eyes, according to the photos released by MCSPCA. The organization has appealed for donations to help get the animals treated before they could be made available for adoption.

“We will need your support to get them all vaccinated, de-wormed and microchipped along with any other additional medical care they'll need in the future including spay/neuter surgeries. Some of the dogs are pregnant and have masses and infections so will most definitely need extra care,” MCSPCA said in a Facebook post.

The post added: “The dogs will need time to decompress, need to be medically cleared, spayed/neutered, and assessed behaviorally before they will be ready to meet potential adopters. With the amount [sic] of dogs we currently have, it may take 2-3 weeks before the dogs are available.”

Apart from monetary assistance, the organization was also welcoming shelter items such as blankets, towels, sheets, dog toys, paper towels, cleaning supplies, and dog food/treats, as forms of donations. By Wednesday, MCSPCA raised more than $12,000 for their care.

The house from where the dogs were rescued belonged to a prominent breeder, whose dogs have won Best in Breed awards from the Westminster Kennel Club in the past. It was not clear whether the breeder was facing any criminal charges related to the hoarding incident.

"Supporting and promoting responsible dog breeding and ownership has been a key core value of the Westminster Kennel Club for over 140 years," the club said in a statement. "We are saddened to learn of this unfortunate situation and are grateful for the care being provided to the affected dogs."