On Friday, December 29th, 2017, Lenawee Humane Society was called out to a home in Onsted, where Lenawee County Animal Control needed help seizing animals from a home where they had no food or water and inadequate shelter. The conditions were inhumane, with frigid temperatures near 0 degrees and expected to drop over night. Lenawee Humane Society took 34 of the dogs most in need and 11 more went to a local vet office. Our staff immediately began documenting and caring for these animals, while we devised a plan of how we could help the remaining animals when called upon.
On Wednesday, January 3rd, 2018, we were called back to the scene where they estimated a total of 195 dogs still needed rescued. We knew we could not possibly house that many more animals in our facility and immediately reached out to members of our newly formed Shelter Coalition. Members from the Humane Society of Branch County, Cascades Humane Society and Monroe County Humane Society met us at the home, where authorities and professionals from Jackson Animal Shelter were already assessing the animals.
Pictured above: This dog was found with twine tangled around her legs and embedded within her matted fur
On the second visit, it appeared that some of the dogs had food, though not all and those that had water bowls were frozen. During our first seizure, it was evident that lactating moms had puppies somewhere, but not in the kennels with them and nowhere to be found. During our second seizure, we took two small breed dogs nursing babies in rabbit cages with no food or water. Once we arrived back at the shelter, we discovered that some of the babies being nursed by these smaller dogs actually belonged to a larger breed. As fate would have it, we actually had the mother to those puppies onsite and reunited the mama with her babies. Unfortunately, the mama was young and most of her milk was dried up, so we kept them together to socialize while we continue to bottle feed the babies.
Pictured above: This puppy and his littermates were found with open sores and feces caked to their feet
Many of the dogs seized had painfully matted hair, were covered in urine and feces which resulted in sores and infections, and some even had injuries and birth defects. Dried feces had to be chiseled from the paws of most of the dogs in order to uncover their long nails so they could be trimmed. All dogs had to be bathed several times and given flea preventative and dewormer to rid their bodies of parasites. More than 30 matted dogs were fully groomed by Angelena Wilkerson of Precious Paws Grooming and Angela Walters of Furbabies Grooming Studio.
Pictured above: One of the first dogs we helped rescue, suffering with painfully matted hair
All animals seized from this horrific situation are slowly recovering, both physically and mentally. Most have never walked on a leash or know how to be held, but all of them are grateful for a second chance at life. This case is still under active investigation so we cannot release details about individual animals. We ask only those with information regarding this case contact Lenawee County Undersheriff Troy Bevier at 517-263-0524 x5372.
Pictured above: A dog with long, broken nails
If you’d like to help care for these animals, we are desperately in need of monetary donations, flea preventative, and cleaning supplies. Please view our wishlist or visit our website for more ways to help. You can even sign up to become a Lenawee Humane Society member and know that your donation is helping save lives like these all year long and giving a voice to those who cannot speak for themselves.
