LINCOLN COUNTY, Ky. (LEX News) — The Lincoln County Animal Shelter temporarily closed its kennel after taking in 87 dogs and 16 cats rescued from a severe hoarding situation at a Waynesburg home on Tuesday.
Wanda Brock, 60, and Radford Brock, 44, are charged with animal cruelty, according to sheriff's deputies.
According to the citation, deputies were called to the home after receiving a report of several dogs confined in crates in the front yard with no access to food or water. The document states 39 dogs were found outside the home and 32 dogs and 10 cats were found inside.
Lanice Goodman, rescue coordinator at the Lincoln County Animal Shelter, said the situation began with an anonymous tip.
"Then we proceeded with the Lincoln County Sheriff's Department. We headed up, and they served a warrant," Goodman said.
Goodman described the conditions inside the home as hazardous.
"It was horrible. Feces piled up; some dogs in crates, like four dogs in a crate that was stacked with feces. They were in barns also that had no airflow or anything. Had a beagle that was in a rabbit cage. The house was horrible," Goodman said. "I don't even know how the humans were living in it to tell you the truth."
The shelter immediately removed all animals from the home. One dog required leg amputation.
The influx of animals pushed the shelter well beyond its capacity.
"We only have kennel space for 43 dogs. And we already had 15 before they showed up. So it put us to almost 100 animals," Goodman said.
Several rescue organizations have since taken in a majority of the dogs and cats to help them recover their strength and health.
Goodman said situations like this one, while extreme in scale, are not uncommon for shelter staff.
"It's horrible, but we see it on a daily basis. It's the sad thing. Yes, I mean, it's an everyday thing of us picking up animals somebody's thrown out, not taken care of, or anything so you know it's a daily thing. It's just not as large of a number," Goodman said.
The shelter's most urgent needs are donations of cat and dog food, cat litter, and water bowls. Goodman said the shelter also wants pet owners to know help is available before a situation reaches this point.
"Just please spay and neuter your pets, and if you need help, don't let it get to this point. Reach out. We're willing to help," Goodman said.
Goodman wants to shout out several rescues like:
- Kentucky Saving Them Together, who is helping with a majority of the medical costs.
- Arrow Fund
If you'd like to donate or volunteer and help out the shelter, you can visit their Facebook page for more information.
They also have an Amazon wishlist listed on their Facebook page.
