Authorities arrived at a Rockville, Maryland, home, searching for one dog that bit someone at an adoption event. What they discovered was 5 ½ dozen dogs living in horrible conditions.
Court documents showed officers found 66 dogs of all sizes in plastic airline crates covering nearly every inch of the floor at the house on Glen Mill Road. Choking and gagging as they made their way through the home, officers took photos of the conditions of the canines and their living conditions.
One photo showed a dog with paralyzed legs that had been sitting in its own excrement for some time. Another photo showed a dog whose matted fur weighed an extra half pound from being urine-soaked.
The document showed Katherine Tiong, 46, was the owner of the house and initially lied to officers. She said there were only about 20 dogs in the house before officers decided to look for themselves.
Tiong was found guilty on Tuesday of 66 counts of animal cruelty. They are misdemeanor crimes, but each carries a jail term.
A Facebook page for Forever Homes Animal Rescue, which shares the same address with the house, claims to be "helping dogs in high-kill shelters escape death and find loving forever homes.” The posts, which stopped in August, contain photos of many dogs that match the description of those found neglected inside Tiong’s home.
At least one of the dogs was so sick, it had to be euthanized. Some others have been treated and adopted out.
