More than 125 dogs have been saved from inhumane hoarding conditions in Texas following a months-long rescue mission.
The rescue mission, led by Ferris Animal Services and Flying B Animal Rescue & Sanctuary in Ellis County, resulted in the emergency removal of the last 75 dogs this past week from the hoarding site in Ellis County, about 40 miles south of Dallas, Fox 4 reported.
The rescue followed several months of efforts to reduce the number of animals in hoarding situations. The other dogs had previously been rescued through owner surrenders and standard rescue protocols, according to the report. It’s unclear if anyone has been charged in connection to the rescue efforts.
The situation was so dire that Todd McGehee, the manager of Ferris Animal Services, requested backup from national organizations, including American Humane and RedRover.
“When the weight of their suffering began to exceed our local resources, we knew we had to call in the best,” McGehee said. “Partnering with RedRover and American Humane allowed us to turn a desperate situation into a rescue mission.”
Roughly 125 dogs were saved from inhumane hoarding conditions as part of a large-scale rescue effort that took several months in Texas (Ferris Animal Services)
Officials say 75 dogs were rescued from one site n Ellis County, Texas (Ferris Animal Services)
Nearly all of the rescued dogs had been transferred to long-term shelter placements as of Friday.
Ten of the rescued dogs remain in boarding as they may be transported to the northern U.S. to be adopted, according to the report.
Photos shared by Ferris Animal Services on Facebook showed scores of dogs and puppies inside crates after they were rescued.
“It takes a community to change the world for all of these dogs, and we are so incredibly proud of ours,” the group wrote in the post, thanking all of the agencies that stepped in to help.
Nearly all of the rescued dogs had been transferred to long-term shelter placements (Ferris Animal Services)
While officials were glad to help save so many animals, they noted logistical difficulties that came with coordinating so many organizations and volunteers for the rescues efforts.
The situation prompted a push for the development of a regional Animal Welfare Campus in North Texas, according to the report.
The proposed multi-million dollar facility would help better serve similar large-scale cruelty cases and make sheltering needs easier, according to the report.
