Someone who clearly didn't believe in spay/neuter

[phesina]

A horrifying story is still unfolding at the home of a 56-year-old man in the Detroit suburb of Dearborn.

The man's parents, who live in Florida, breed Chihuahuas, and a few years ago they gave him a pair of the dogs.

Well, guess what! Over time, two became.. a few more, which over time became.. a few more, which... etc... etc... etc...

From today's update in the Detroit Free Press (http://freep.com/article/20090727/NEWS02/90727052/Search-continues-for-Chihuahuas-at-Dearborn-house):
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One hundred and twelve live dogs and more than 150 dead animals in basement freezers were discovered in the house in the 7800 block of Orchard.
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[Grace]

I feel so bad for those poor little dogs. The Dearborn Shelter is doing an amazing job - taking in 112. Despite the condition of the house, which will be torn down - the dogs are in quite good physical shape.

Whenever they are shown on TV, I want to rush right over and adopt one :)

[Laura's Babies]

Were those people missing something in their brains? You have to wonder what in the world they were thinking to let it get so out of hand!

[catmandu]

I have to agree Laura.
Even a dim wit must be able to see that his Dogs are living badly and the stench from thier waste should have giiven him the idea that something wasnt right.
Thats a shame when these Loonies get a few animals.
:love::love::love:

[Medusa]

This is similar to the story that occurred here in Akron, Ohio that I posted in Cat Rescue. What began w/one cat, ONE, ended up producing 113 cats, all living in one home and in unbelievable filth. The bank foreclosed on the owner's home and he just left the cats there. His brother came by to feed and water them daily but it got to be over 100 degrees in the house because the electricity had been turned off so there was no AC. A girlfriend of one of the rescuers paid to have it turned back on so that the cats wouldn't suffer from the heat. Amazingly, all of the cats are healthy but homes are still needed for 38 of them.

I've grown weary of hearing how the owners become overwhelmed. We all get overwhelmed at times; it's part and parcel of life. However, the amount of money that this owner spends on cat food alone is staggering and it all could've been prevented if he had just spayed the first cat. How overwhelming can that be? Excuses are being made for this owner, excuses will be made for the owner of the Chihuahuas in this lead story, excuses will more than likely be made for Michael Vick, excuses are made for so-called rescue agencies that let the animals wallow in filth and die but just let a cat urinate inappropriately due to stress at being rehomed half a dozen times or let a dog bite someone because it had been tormented by them and there will be no excuses forthcoming. What we will hear is that it was in the "best interests" of all concerned to euthanize the animals. WE. DON'T. LEARN.

[phesina]

Supposedly the guy is mentally ill (no kidding? I mean, DUH!) and is currently being evaluated in a psychiatric facility. So, while maybe he was not capable of managing the situation, according to the news reports his parents and other family members have come to visit and stay with him in the house several times.

He kept the outside of the house and the yard neat and spotless and also did gardening and handyman jobs for neighbors. All doors and all windows were always kept shut, I assume to keep the stench from drifting too far and the neighbors unaware.

Whatever may be the "reasons" behind the situation, the dogs have suffered horrifically and all too many of them died in that hellhole. They all deserved much better.

Grace is right: the Dearborn Animal Shelter is doing phenomenal work caring for the survivors... especially considering that they already had more than a hundred cats and dogs at the shelter looking for homes. See http://www.dearborn-animals.com/ for more..