Editor’s note: This story contains graphic details that some readers may find disturbing.
A dozen neglected dogs were discovered Monday in an apartment in the Shipley Terrace neighborhood of Southeast D.C.
According to the Human Rescue Alliance, D.C. police alerted the alliance’s Humane Law Enforcement team of an extreme case of animal cruelty and neglect.
Twelve emaciated dogs were found in the apartment, according to the Humane Rescue Alliance. Two had already died, and the surviving 10 dogs had resorted to eating the remains.
“They would have died,” said Lisa LaFontaine, CEO of the Humane Rescue Alliance. “The dogs in this case are receiving intensive crisis care to address both their critical medical needs and the profound behavioral impact of prolonged neglect.”
Investigators are trying to determine who, if anyone, owns or rents the apartment, or whether the unit was just being used as a place to store the dogs. No arrests have been made.
According to the group, the 10 dogs who were rescued from the apartment are doing well.
“The severity of this case and the urgent needs of the surviving dogs have placed a significant strain on shelter operations,” according to a news release from the Humane Rescue Alliance. “Members of the public can make a meaningful difference by fostering animals currently in the shelter who are not part of this case.”
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