More than 80 Great Danes rescued from suspected puppy mill in New Hampshire
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Humane Society of the United States works with the Wolfeboro Police Dept. to rescue approximately 70 Great Danes from a suspected puppy mill on Friday, June 16, 2017, in Wolfeboro, N.H. (Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
More than 80 Great Danes were rescued from a suspected puppy mill in New Hampshire Friday by police and officials with the Humane Society of the United States.
Some of the Great Danes rescued by the Human Society of the United States. (Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
Police in Wolfeboro, located about 60 miles northeast of Manchester, served a warrant on a local property where they found 84 dogs being housed in “unsafe and unsanitary conditions.”
The dogs were found living in "squalid conditions with limited access to food or water," according to a press release from the Humane Society.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Some of the dogs were seen "sliding on their own feces while walking," while others "had eyelids so swollen their eyes were red," according to the Humane Society. Rescuers were also overwhelmed by "the smell of ammonia, feces and raw chicken."
The mansion where the Great Danes were rescued. (Bea Lewis/New Hampshire Union Leader)
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Police said they had received a number of complaints regarding barking dogs on the property, and began investigating in early May.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“I’ve never seen conditions this bad in more than 21 years of law enforcement," said Wolfeboro Police Chief Dean Rondeau. "Words cannot describe the absolute abhorrent conditions these animals were living in.”
Great Danes rescued by the Human Society of the United States in Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. (Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
All of the dogs were confiscated from the property, and taken to an emergency shelter.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}“It’s astonishing that such cruelty can occur and I’m so relieved that these animals are now safe and in the hands of people who will provide proper care for them," said Lindsay Hamrick, New Hampshire state director for The HSUS. "We anticipate caring for them for several months.”
A dog waits to be loaded onto a transport vehicle after being rescued by The Humane Society of the United States. (Meredith Lee/The HSUS)
The dogs will be thoroughly examined by a team of veterinarians and receive any necessary immediate medical treatment at the emergency shelter, Humane Society officials said.