Dozens of dogs were rescued after being found living in “total confinement for their entire lives,” inside a New York City apartment, allegedly never setting foot outside, the Animal Care Centers (ACC) of NYC announced Friday.
The ACC’s rescue operation in coordination with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) found dogs ranging from young puppies to fully grown adults packed in tight spaces, according to the release. Some were discovered inside closets and cupboards with no fresh air.
ACC’s Tara Mercado said the dogs allegedly “lived in total confinement for their entire lives.”
“We found full-grown Malinois hidden in cabinets and crammed behind furniture,” Mercado said.
Police officials in Queens told the New York Post that the dog owner had been evicted and a criminal investigation has been opened.
Neighbors told the outlet that the dogs were all living on the seventh floor of an apartment building and observed the owner frequently tossing feces off his balcony.
“It always smells like that here and I always hear them barking, barking, and he throws poop out of his balcony,” neighbor Natalia Ruales told the outlet. “As far as I know, as we all know, he neglects his dogs. … If he takes them out in the elevator, it smells so bad, they pee on the staircase.”
The dogs were evaluated following their rescue, but medical and behavioral experts determined that they were “extremely fearful, under socialized, and in need of long-term behavioral support.”
“They’ve likely never touched grass, walked on a leash, or met a stranger,” ACC’s Dr. Biana Tamimi said in the release. “Every new sound, every human interaction, is overwhelming. But we’re already seeing glimmers of curiosity — and that gives us hope.”
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