Staff from the Humane Society of Mason County rescued nine sick dogs from filthy conditions in a house in Tahuya, Washington, KIRO 7 News reports.
The horrified rescuers also discovered the dead body of the homeowner during the rescue operation, which occurred Nov. 7. Authorities — who have yet to release the owner’s identity and age to the public — said the victim had been deceased for 12 days. Circumstances surrounding their demise remain under investigation.
All the sick canines, whom rescuers found in an upstairs bedroom near their owner, were seized. The dogs were taken to the Humane Society for Tacoma and Pierce County for treatment.
Rescue of 9 sick dogs found living in filth after owner’s death
When rescuers entered the house located in the small Mason County town, nothing could have prepared them for the disgusting, unhygienic conditions they would find the dogs in.
Authorities were originally alerted to the scene to perform a welfare check, as per a post shared on Instagram by Tacoma Humane. Once on site, Sheriff’s deputies discovered the nine Shepherd-mix dogs, aged between five and 10 years old. Given the severity of the conditions inside the trash-filled home, as well as the fear of the animals, the operation took over five hours.
Afterwards, the executive director of the Humane Society of Mason County, Katherine Johnson, released a statement to KIRO 7 News. In it, she described the scene rescuers encountered as “heartbreaking.” Johnson commented on how they were “wading through a sea of trash to get these dogs out and get them care as soon as possible.”
According to the news release issued by the Humane Society for Tacoma and Pierce County, the canines had severely matted coats and paws covered in feces. Under those circumstances, some dogs were suffering from skin infections and dental diseases. Additionally, there was no water or food in sight — a reality that shined light on why the canines were starving.
One of the dogs was discovered stuck with a metal bucket on their head. The senior animal had severely infected wounds around her neck. As per a Facebook post from Tacoma Humane, staff “worked quickly to clean and drain the wounds.”
How to help the rescued dogs
All nine dogs are now receiving much-needed treatment and care from veterinarians and dedicated shelter staff. The pups are being provided with nutritious food and any necessary medications. Staff have also begun to address other issues the dogs are facing. Up to the present time, some of the dogs had “ears…caked with dirt.” Others are still living with “teeth worn with tartar build-up.” Over the coming days, the rest of the dogs’ injuries and ailments will be assessed.
As of now, the Humane Society has not provided information on when the recovering dogs will be up for adoption. Until that time, the organization is asking for public support in the form of financial donations for the sick dogs who had been living in filth. Funds will be used to continue providing critical care to the rescued canines. If you would like to support their efforts, you can visit the Humane Society’s website.
