86 dogs, elderly woman, child rescued from squalor in Central Valley, authorities say

Thursday, March 21, 2024
CERES, Calif. (KGO) -- Authorities in the Central Valley rescued 86 dogs and two people from a home in "deplorable conditions."

An anonymous call for a welfare check led police to this home in Stanislaus County Tuesday.

That's where they found five people, and 86 dogs in what police called "unlivable conditions".

A four-year-old and an elderly woman were removed from the home.

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Three adults were arrested on abuse and animal cruelty charges.

Officials tell us the conditions inside were horrific and unsafe for even for the rescuers.

"The fire department determined it was too unhealthy to enter without protective equipment because the oxygen level was at 16 percent. the oxygen level was so low because of the all of the urine and the ammonia was so low because of the urine and the filth from the dogs," said Vaughn Maurice, executive director of Stanilaus Co. Animal Services.

The dogs were taken to the county animal shelter for treatment. Authorities say many of them are sick.

Shelter officials say they are now "well over capacity."

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