SPCA Helps Bring Hope to Hoarding Case Survivors

The faces of more than 100 adult dogs and puppies filled the backyard of a Madera home where they were living amidst their own filth and fighting over scraps of food for survival. The man who owned the home said he started out with four stray dogs and they began to produce litter after litter. According to a Madera County Animal Shelter volunteer, “They were attacking each other every minute because there was no food. There were dogs everywhere you looked, in every corner,
under every step, behind every turn.”

In situations like these, it’s hard not to let anger or judgment
creep in. However, as an organization dedicated to helping animals, the Santa Cruz SPCA put feelings aside and dove headfirst into the effort to save these precious lives. Time was of the essence because if rescues didn’t step in to get dogs out, the county would most certainly confiscate and euthanize them.

Within hours of discovery, a large group of dogs and even a few kittens were in a van headed to the Santa Cruz SPCA. In anticipation of their arrival, urgent foster home pleas were sent to every single person on our email list. Very little was known about body condition or health, but we wanted to be prepared for anything. Minutes after our emails were sent, an overwhelming show of support and foster offers flooded in. We were simply in awe of the level of compassion and willingness to give time, supplies, money and homes in order to aid our rescue efforts and give these animals
a fighting chance.

The animals arrived completely filthy, flea- and worm- infested, and suffering from numerous ailments from skin and eye issues to upper respiratory infections. They were met by a well- oiled group of staff and volunteers that, in minutes, vaccinated, de-wormed and de-flea’d all of the new arrivals. They were then sent to their foster homes with crates, food, and bedding to recoup, recover and relax.
In those foster homes these animals will live life like they’ve never lived before, and learn what it’s like to be truly loved and properly cared for. It will take time to get them well and a little more time
to get them adopted, but it’s clear that these cats and dogs are the survivors that we exist to save.
The value of a foster home, a donation, and even an adoption can be seen and felt in full force during efforts like these. It truly takes a village to “come to the rescue” and every helping hand is vital no matter how large or small. Our appreciation to all of our supporters runs deep, but to the animals, your support truly means life! This is the third hoarding case in two months from which we have saved animals, and it won’t be the last. We are extremely fortunate to have you by our side through it all.