A Connecticut animal control agency has impounded dozens of animals, including dogs and cats, after a local resident allegedly tried to give up 14 dogs at a regional shelter, according to officials.
Woodbridge Regional Animal Control said that 23 dogs, 20 cats and kittens, a guinea pig and seven rabbits were impounded, with current “trapping” in process Sunday for the other cats on site.
In a post on Facebook, which did not name the site where the animals were found, Woodbridge Regional Animal Control said it received a call from Woodbridge Police Department at 5 a.m. Saturday reporting that there was a person “with 14 dogs at the shelter looking to surrender them.”
“Upon arrival there was 20 dogs in 5 cages that were (allegedly) in horrid condition,” Woodbridge Regional Animal Control said in the post. “We spoke with the owner. Got the owner to surrender all animals at the time that were in cages and at the residence.”
A message seeking comment was left with Woodbridge Regional Animal Control Sunday. A message also was left with the Woodbridge Police Department. The facility is at 135 Bradley Road in Woodbridge.
The person who allegedly owned the animals has not been named.
Chief Animal Control Officer Jessica Moffo said in a video posted on the agency’s Facebook page that many organizations across the region assisted in caring for the dozens of animals impounded and that there as many as 30 cats that still needed to be trapped, noting “we had a pretty bad day today.”
“When I say it’s a mess, it’s a mess,” Moffo said in the video. She did not name the site or the person allegedly involved but said there were 22 counts of animal cruelty issued.
“This shouldn’t have happened, it did,” she said. “We did not know it was coming.”
Moffo also said she was processing and doing paperwork trying to get everything set for care of all of the animals, many of which had been taken for help by many sister agencies and organizations in the state. Numerous people have donated pet food and more is needed, she said.
Moffo said all small dogs had been placed with other organizations, as was a nursing mother cat and kittens. “All the small dogs currently are placed in rescues,” she said.
Some animals were allegedly in “really bad shape,” she said.
Moffo said she was “very thankful” to other agencies that stepped in to help care for the animals. “We owe them big time.” She said her goal was to make sure the animals were cared for and she was not able to answer all calls yet, for which she apologized.
“We have a lot going on right now, we cannot do this without all the rescues,” she said.
“it’s been a long day,” she said, noting her own sister had stepped in to help help groom some of the animals. Donated dog food will be divvied up, she said.
Moffo said there were 25 to 30 more cats to be trapped for care. “Tomorrow we will know a little bit more about the situation,” she said. “We’re going to need a lot cat food.”
“It take a village, the village stepped up today,” Moffo said.
The animals control agency said it received help from numerous other agencies, including North Haven Animal Control, the East Haven Animal Shelter, Friends of the New Haven Animal Shelter, Halfway Home Rescue Inc. in Bridgeport; Connecticut Animal Control; Perfect Imperfections; One More Dog Rescue, and Westley’s Wish K9 Rescue.
The Woodbridge Regional Animal Control posted that the other organizations helped to “pull some of these dogs and get the help they need.”
“So far we have impounded 23 dogs, 20 cats and kittens with current trapping in the process of the other cats on site and 1 guinea pig and 7 bunnies. Any help would be greatly appreciated for wet dog food, wet cat food and any other supplies that will help in this situation. Animal Cruelty charges were issued today and it’s an ongoing investigation,” the post said.
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