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Police learned of the dogs' plight after a woman inside the home called 911 last week to report that her 73-year-old sister, Eileen Horn, had died, ABC7 New York reported.
Officers entered the Mill Basin home on East 66th Street and found dozens of small dogs packed inside amid mountains of trash and piles of feces, authorities said.
The initial count was 80 animals, but the total climbed past 100 as officers removed debris. One of the dogs was giving birth when officers found her. Others, sadly, were already dead, the New York Post reported.
The Animal Care Centers of NYC said in a Facebook post that the dogs were living in "unimaginable filth," but dwelling on that fact would not address the problem.
“We know the public reaction is one of disbelief, even anger,” the post continued. “It's hard to comprehend how anyone could live this way, or how animals could be left in such a state. But anger alone won't help these dogs. What will help is action.”
And action is what they got. Dozens of shelters, groomers, veterinarians, their technicians, and volunteers have donated their time, money, and effort to give these dogs something they've likely never had before: hope.
That begins with cutting away the matted fur that is caked with dirt and feces. The weight of that pulls the hair down and causes painful skin irritation and rashes, Katy Hansen, communications director for Animal Care Centers of NYC, told the Post.
Veterinarians had to anesthetize some of the animals because the mats were so bad that the pain of removing them would have been excruciating, Karen Lecain of Compassionate Animal Rescue Efforts (CARE) of Dutchess County told the outlet.
However, healing the wounds is just the first step in the rehabilitation process.
“Some of them were born in that house and never saw the light of day, so it will take time for them to trust again," Lecain said.
Neighbors told ABC7 they had reached out to police in the past, but authorities told them there was nothing they could do.
“(Officers) took photos, they said, 'I see dead dogs by the staircase. I see maybe 40 dogs, 50 dogs, I see puppies everywhere,'" neighbor Adam Greenberg told the outlet.
But, according to neighbor Alex Zinger, police told them they didn't have probable cause to force their way inside.
The NYPD and Animal Care Centers of NYC are still investigating.
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