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Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Heartbreak as 40 dogs are found living in their own filth stuffed inside closets and cupboards in cramped apartment
Animal rescue workers were shocked to discover more than 40 dogs in a filthy, crammed New York apartment, in what they said was one of the most 'heartbreaking' animal neglect cases they had ever seen. 'They've likely never touched grass, walked on a leash, or met a stranger,' said Animal Care Centers of NYC Director of Shelter Medicine Biana Tamimi. Rescuers from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Animal Care Centers of NYC went to the home in Forest Hills, Queens last Thursday after receiving reports that the owner had been evicted from the property and had to surrender his pets. When they arrived at the seventh floor apartment, they found 48 dogs and puppies, all Belgian Malinois, living in deplorable conditions. Some were reportedly stuffed into closets and cupboards or crammed into small spaces with no fresh air or sunlight, the ACC said. Images shared by the animal shelter show about a dozen dogs squeezed into a tiny hallway. Three of the dogs had to be euthanised, according to officials, and rescue workers spent two days removing the dogs from the home. 'These dogs have reportedly lived in total confinement for their entire lives,' said Tara Mercado, ACC's director of behavior and shelter operations. 'We found full-grown Malinois hidden in cabinets and crammed behind furniture.' Rescuers went to the home in Forest Hills, Queens last Thursday after receiving reports that the owner had been evicted from the property Neighbours - who were unaware that there were so many dogs living in the property - said that the entire floor always had a bad smell and that the owner, who has not been named, would regularly toss animal faeces off his balcony. 'We always wondered, 'Why does it smell so bad,' one neighbour told the New York Post. 'We all assumed there were two or three dogs in there, we would never have imagined that they were that many, we never saw them ever, anywhere,' he added. Another neighbour claimed that she could always hear barking in the building and noted that her mother had seen the owner kick one of his pets. The owner is said to have worked at airport security and he was known to have a sniffing dog. Since their rescue, the ACC has issued an update on the dogs' condition. Images show the nervous pups looking confused as they wait in kennels to be treated by vets. The ACC says many of the dogs will require long-term care before they are ready to be adopted because they are believed to have had little socialization with humans. The heartbreaking animal neglect case comes after a British dog walker was discovered to have kept 11 pets in 'deplorable' conditions. Dog walker Hannah Critchlow kept the animals in a house described as being one of the worst ever seen by RSPCA officers. Pictures show the floors inside the property, on Bourne Street, Peterlee, County Durham, completely covered in excrement and rubbish. An RSPCA officer described having to hold her breath because she could not stand staying in the 'thick smell' in the rooms. Two of the dogs were staying there while their owners were on holiday while others were being fostered by her on behalf of an animal charity. Some were left so ill after staying with her that they required treatment from a vet. Critchlow, 30, who a ran a business called UpDog Walking, Training & Behaviour, has now been banned from keeping animals for 12 months.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘Total confinement': Dozens of dogs found crammed into cabinets, cupboards in NYC apartment
[Attached video: Goddard's Law] NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. (WJW) — Dozens of dogs were discovered stuffed inside cabinets and cupboards and crammed into tight spaces inside a New York City apartment. Canton parents wanted for death of 3-year-old Animal Care Centers of NYC posted a news release to Facebook on May 9 stating that 40 Belgian Malinois dogs were living in 'filthy, overcrowded conditions,' and many had no access to fresh air or sunlight. According to the organization, many of the dogs, including puppies and full grown adults, had likely never stepped foot outside. 'These dogs have reportedly lived in total confinement for their entire lives,' Tara Mercado, ACC's director of behavior and shelter operations, said. 'We found full-grown Malinois hidden in cabinets and crammed behind furniture.' Fully grown Malinois males can weigh up to 80 pounds while females can reach up to 60 pounds, according to the American Kennel Club. The breed is known for its intelligence, energy and need for stimulation. The dogs were swiftly removed from the apartment and taken to a shelter to be evaluated. Most of the rescued animals are described as 'extremely fearful' and 'undersocialized,' the news release said. 'They've likely never touched grass, walked on a leash, or met a stranger,' said Dr. Biana Tamimi, ACC's director of shelter medicine. 'Every new sound, every human interaction, is overwhelming. But we're already seeing glimmers of curiosity — and that gives us hope.' 5 injured, including kids, in morning crash on I-71 The dogs are not currently available for adoption and will need long-term behavioral support, the organization said. An investigation into the incident is underway. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
40 Belgian Malinois Dogs Found Crammed into Cabinets and Closets of N.Y.C. Apartment During Rescue
In May, the ACC and ASPCA rescued 40 Belgian Malinois dogs from filthy, overcrowded conditions in a Queens, New York apartment Rescuers believe many of the dogs had never gone outside before they were removed from the apartment None of the dogs are currently available for adoption as they undergo medical evaluations and recovery Dozens of Belgian Malinois dogs are enjoying their first opportunity to touch grass after a shocking rescue. According to a May 9 release from the Animal Care Centers of New York City (ACC), the organization and ASPCA recently rescued 40 Belgian Malinois dogs from a "filthy, overcrowded" apartment in N.Y.C. Rescuers found the dogs crammed inside cabinets, closets, and other spaces "with no access to fresh air or sunlight." The ACC believes, per its release, that many of the rescued dogs, who range from fully grown adults to young puppies, had never been outside prior to their rescue. "These dogs have reportedly lived in total confinement for their entire lives," Tara Mercado, ACC's director of behavior and shelter operations, detailed in a statement. "We found full-grown Malinois hidden in cabinets and crammed behind furniture." Senior staff members from the ACC and ASPCA apartments removed the dogs from the apartment and brought them to shelter facilities to decompress and receive health checks. All of the dogs will be medically evaluated to determine their next steps. "They've likely never touched grass, walked on a leash, or met a stranger, Dr. Biana Tamimi, ACC's director of shelter medicine, said of the dogs. "Every new sound, every human interaction, is overwhelming. But we're already seeing glimmers of curiosity — and that gives us hope." According to the ACC's release, many of the Belgian Malinois dogs will require long-term care before they are ready to be adopted because they are fearful and undersocialized from their upbringing. The ACC needs help making room for this new influx of dogs, especially since their shelters are already overcapacity. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. "We need help from the community," the ACC shared in a Facebook post about the Belgian Malinois rescue. "We are now at over 200 dogs in our Queens Care Center — with an additional 175 in our Manhattan and Staten Island Care Centers. We are currently running a fee-waived adoption special for all dogs over 40 lbs." The ACC and ASPCA are not handling this case alone; other animal lovers reached out to provide assistance before the ACC shared news of the rescue on social media. "Several breed-specific rescues have already offered their assistance in finding homes," Jessica Vacarro, ACC's director of placement, said. The release added that while the rescued dogs adjust to their new lives outside the crowded apartment, authorities are part of an ongoing investigation into how the pets ended up in those dire conditions. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Yahoo
Nearly 50 dogs found ‘hidden in cabinets' and ‘crammed behind furniture' in NYC apartment
Animal rescue workers found nearly 50 Belgian Malinois in a filthy, overcrowded Queens apartment, where they spent their entire lives crammed together without going outside, authorities said. 'They've likely never touched grass, walked on a leash, or met a stranger,' said Animal Care Centers of NYC Director of Shelter Medicine Biana Tamimi. The rescuers from ACC and the ASPCA went to the 62nd Street home in Forest Hills, Queens, on Thursday after they were notified that the owner had been evicted and needed to surrender his dogs, a law enforcement source said. When they arrived, they found 48 dogs and puppies — some stuffed into closets and cupboards or packed into tight spaces with no access to fresh air or sunlight, according to ACC. Three of the animals had to be euthanized, officials said. 'These dogs have reportedly lived in total confinement for their entire lives,' said Tara Mercado, ACC's director of behavior and shelter operations. 'We found full-grown Malinois hidden in cabinets and crammed behind furniture.' A criminal investigation has been opened, the source said. The owner hasn't been publicly identified. The dogs lived in an apartment on the 7th floor, according to neighbors, who said the entire floor reeked and the pet owner frequently tossed feces off his balcony. 'He worked at the airport security, and the dog was his [bomb] sniffing dog, that's why he was allowed to be here with the dog,' one neighbor said, adding the man sometimes walked a second dog of another breed. 'We always wondered, 'Why does it smell so bad, if it was that dog that just peed all around?'' the man, who declined to provide his name, said. 'We all assumed there were two or three dogs in there, we would never have imagined that they were that many, we never saw them ever, anywhere.' He wondered how the dogs survived in the squalid conditions. 'It seems like a hell hole,' he said. 'They never saw the light of day, because we would know if they were walked.' Neighbor Natalia Ruales was relieved the dogs were rescued. 'I think he had abused [the dogs] and I don't like it,' she said. 'Because there's a lot of doggies in one apartment … no good.' Another neighbor, who identified herself as Sharon, said the floor always smelled bad. 'It always smells like that here and I always hear them barking, barking, and he throws poop out of his balcony,' she said. '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.' Her mom was walking her own small pup and saw him kick one of his pets, the neighbor claimed. 'He kicked his dog, according to my mother,' the woman said. 'I feel happy that they were rescued because at least they're going to go to a good home thank God. And not suffer like they were here. All they were doing was barking, barking non stop, even nighttime.'The dogs won't be up for adoption until they've been evaluated because most are 'extremely fearful, undersocialized and in need of long-term behavioral support,' according to the ACC. 'Every new sound, every human interaction is overwhelming,' Tamimi said. 'But we're already seeing glimmers of curiosity — and that gives us hope.'.Workers spent two days removing the dogs from the home, authorities said. 'Right now they're decompressing,' ACC spokeswoman Katy Hanson told The Post. 'They're being walked for the first time. Cared for (for) the first time. They've actually slept a lot because you can imagine how noisy it was in that apartment with 40 other dogs.' The ACC is currently waiving fees for dogs over 40 pounds. 'With our dog population now at near triple capacity in Queens alone, we are also in desperate need of placement for the additional 175 dogs already in care in Queens and the 165 dogs currently waiting for homes at our Manhattan and Staten Island Care Centers,' said Jessica Vacarro, ACC's director of placement.
CBS News
10-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
40 dogs found living in filthy New York City apartment, animal rescue organization says
Dozens of dogs were found living in unsanitary conditions in a Queens apartment this week, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said. The ASPCA partnered with the Animal Care Centers of New York City on Thursday and Friday to rescue 40 Belgian Malinois, the ACC said. According to the ACC, the dogs had no access to fresh air or sunlight, and they had allegedly never been outside before. "These dogs have reportedly lived in total confinement for their entire lives," ACC Director of Behavior and Shelter Operations Tara Mercado said in a statement. "They've likely never touched grass, walked on a leash, or met a stranger," ACC Director of Shelter Medicine Biana Tamimi said in a statement. According to the ACC, the ages of the dogs ranged from young puppies to adults. The dogs are currently being evaluated and treated by the ACC and the ASPCA. The ACC said none of the dogs are available for adoption at this time. The NYPD is investigating. ACC in desperate need of fosters, adopters The rescue happened as the ACC is running out of space to take in more animals in need, the organization said. The ACC said their Queens location is caring for over 200 dogs – nearly triple their capacity – and the organization is caring for another 175 dogs between its Manhattan and Staten Island locations. The organization is looking for people willing to foster dogs, especially medium-to-large dogs, for a minimum of two weeks. Additionally, adoption fees at all ACC locations are being waived for dogs weighing more than 40 pounds. For more information about fostering and adopting, visit
