Dozens of starving and shivering dogs were rescued from a rancid Kentucky house that was ironically advertised as a rescue home – with two canines even found frozen to death, according to reports.
Forty-four neglected dogs were discovered in “deplorable conditions” after a tenant in the house was rushed to the hospital for an unexpected medical problem, non-profit Animal Rescue Corps (ARC) said in a news release.
Law enforcement contacted the group when they saw dogs trapped in cages or running wild outside on the property on Jan. 14, leading to the rescue mission dubbed “Operation Frozen Sorrows,” WBKO reported.
Ammonia levels were reportedly so high, and temperatures were so cold that certain safety equipment was required to assist the dogs.
Three dead dogs were found, including two pups whose bodies were frozen solid, the animal rescue said, according to WHAS 11.
The dogs showed various signs of neglect, including eye injuries, fur loss, and internal and external parasites, ARC said. Other issues were anemia, gastrointestinal problems, bite wounds and matting.
“Some of the dogs are emaciated and the majority of the dogs are underweight,” a spokesperson for the rescue group told the station.
The tenant was allegedly operating a “purported rescue” out of the home, the organization claimed.
“The alleged rescue operated by the tenant stands as a stark reminder that good intentions must be backed by responsible actions,” ARC executive director Tim Woodward said, per WHAS 11.
“The suffering of these dogs underscores the ethical responsibility that comes with operating an animal rescue; neglect has no place in the realm of animal rescue and sheltering. This is a very sad situation and a tremendous amount of suffering has ended.”
The surviving dogs were sent to a true rescue center in Gallatin, Tennessee, the organization said.
