An image of Chiweenies that were rescued from a home in Auburn, Washington. (Photo Courtesy: Auburn Valley Humane Society)
AUBURN, Wash. — A routine call for Auburn Animal Control turned into a stunning discovery of over 100 animals last week, and it's now prompted a huge response by local communities to help out.
The dogs, which were all the same mixed breed of Chihuahua and Dachshund, known as "Chiweenies", were found to be at an okay weight; however, many had fleas and untrimmed nails, with feces and urine rampant inside the small duplex.
The animals have now been spread amongst regional humane societies, receiving medical care and being integrated into socializing once again, before they can be adopted or fostered.
It all started earlier this month, when Auburn Animal Control Officer (ACO) Roy Peckham said he responded to a call by a neighbor over foul smells coming from the residence next door, which was a duplex. Peckham said he could hear about a dozen separate barks, but that no one answered the door upon multiple visits to the residence.
Finally, he said the owner explained over the phone that there were five dogs and seven puppies that they hadn't been able to re-home, and Peckham said they'd offer to help them take care of the pups. On Tuesday, Aug. 19, he said the resident then revealed that there were, in fact, 50 dogs at the home, and not just five. Peckham says he then contacted the Humane Society, and they put together a team for the operation.
The next day, when the team was ready, they entered the home to find a much different story.
“Opened the door, and saw that there was just a sea of animals, a sea of dogs throughout the house; it looked like the floor was moving. ” Peckham said, explaining there was very little room in the 1,100 or so square foot duplex unit.
He said that their count went up to 80 dogs that day, with another 23 stuck in a separate part of the home that was harder to reach. They returned a week later to retrieve the final two dozen or so pups.
“It was something you can’t imagine, but it was unlivable for humans or animals,” he said, adding that there was an incredibly strong smell of urine, and there was feces across the home as well.
From 3 p.m. to past 1 a.m., Peckham's team removed each dog one by one, coaxing them to leave the home, documenting them, and making note of their conditions. Peckham said the dogs appeared to be a good weight; however, many had fleas and long, untrimmed nails. They then brought the dozens of dogs back to the Auburn Valley Humane Society.
“In my seven years here, this is my largest case, ever, and the largest case I’ve ever seen come out of Auburn," Peckham explained.
The owner told the officer that she had about five dogs, which were neither neutered nor spayed, and that over time, they kept breeding, and they couldn't find a proper way to rehome the puppies. Over the course of about a year and a half, the owner says it just got out of control.
"In those cases, that's what we're here for, give me a call, I told her that, that you can give me a call if things like this happen before it gets to this level."
As of Thursday, Aug. 28, a handful of dogs remained at Auburn Valley Humane Society. They say they've been completely inundated with fostering applications and do not need any more at the moment.
If you'd like to adopt one of the rescued pups, you're encouraged to stay up to date on the Auburn Valley, Seattle, and Skagit Valley Humane Societies' social media pages, as well as Forgotten Dogs Rescue, to look for updates on when each dog will be available for adoption, once they get the right treatment and socialization.