DORAL, FLA. – Dozens of dogs were rescued and brought into Miami-Dade Animal Services after being rescued from a house of squalor in Miami.
“They had no lighting,” said Miami-Dade County Animal Services Flora Beal. “They were pretty much in their own feces and urine. Some of them more than others.”
Dogs were seen caged up and kept in the dark, their pens stacked on top of one another inside a hot garage.
On Dec. 7, police arrested Erick Canoura, the owner of the puppies. He is now facing three felony counts of animal cruelty with intent to injure/kill.
Animal services pulled 30 puppies and one adult dog from that home on Southwest Passage.
“When we got there we actually found some of them that weren’t in the garage,” said Beal. “The family was trying to hide from us inside the closet, underneath the laundry. Two pets were found in a cooler. Another one was thrown over the fence into the neighbor’s yard.”
The pets were all brought back to animal services in Doral.
“Thankfully they are all back here and have light, and food and water and clean cages,” said Beal.
The veterinary medical team is currently examining and treating the puppies, which are various breeds including Shiba Inus, Toy Poodles, Goldendoodles, Labradoodles, Havanese, Pomeranians and Yorkshire Terriers, to ensure they have a clean bill of health and are adoption-ready.
“Some of them came in a bit sick and so we’re treating them,” said Beal. “We’ve sent several to foster families where they’re being cared for, and just trying to get them healthy and ready to go out to their forever families which right now they’re just not ready to do that.”
The pets are under medical care and are not up for adoption yet.
They are also being fostered to help socialize them and assist in the medical care.
There is no word on when the dogs will be up for adoption.