Friday, August 10, 2012

Hoarder's trash load held 11 Chihuahuas


by:  Crystal Gutierrez

Animal Humane in Albuquerque got quite a surprise this week when a man showed up at the shelter with two trucks full of dirt, debris and nearly a dozen dehydrated Chihuahuas.
Shelter works said it's the first time they've seen a dog hoarder bring the hoarding problem to their doorstep. On Tuesday, two trucks chained together were both filled with debris, tires and wood.
Underneath all of that junk were 11 Chihuahuas. Animal Humane said their trip started in Socorro with 14 dogs. However, when they got to Animal Humane in Albuquerque three were missing.
“He let us know that he believed three of them jumped out of the bed of the truck,” Adoptions Director Sam Blankenship said.
Blankenship said the rest had to be dug out from the debris and feces-filled truck beds.
“They were in such random spots in the truck; some were in tires, some hiding behind bricks, some seemed stuck behind large pieces of drift wood back there,” Blankenship said.
After digging out the remaining 11 dogs Animal Humane workers had to put two down because of behavioral problems.
Blankenship said the surviving dogs range in age from 7 weeks old to 4 years.
Animal Humane said it's apparent the once flea- and tick-infected dogs were too many for one man.
“He didn't really have names for them all,” Blankenship said.
However, that has changed. All 11 dogs have been given names.
“The other one is Blinkey,” Blankenship said. “She's a little more on the shy side then some of the other ones.”
The dogs that made it this far are doing well. Blankenship said some ready to be adopted while others will be placed in foster homes first..."  More

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