PALM CITY, Fla. — Applications to adopt or rescue 36 border collies rescued from a Palm City home will open Sept. 1, the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast announced Tuesday.
Martin County sheriff's deputies and animal control officers removed the dogs from a Palm City home on Aug. 10, following an investigation into neighbors' concerns about a suspected hoarding situation. The owner now faces 72 criminal charges, and the home has been condemned by the county.
WATCH BELOW: Rescued border collies: This is when they'll be up for adoption
Director of Operations Lori Tucker said the dogs arrived at the shelter in poor condition.
"When they came in, they were very, very terrified. They were saturated in urine and feces," Tucker said. "Underneath the coats have been skin infections, body sores, we found wounds."
Tucker said the dogs are being treated for intestinal parasites, and many are still being spayed or neutered.
"So far, all of them have had something abnormal with their reproductive anatomy… Some have been attached almost near the spinal column. It's been very challenging to spay these dogs," Tucker said. "I don't know if that's from inbreeding. I don't know if that's — what that could be from."
As the physical wounds heal, Tucker said staff have also seen encouraging signs of emotional recovery.
"After 24 hours of being in our care, of just having clean water, clean food, and a bed, and a soft hand to touch them, for them to wag their tail was pretty tremendous," Tucker said.
Because of the dogs' ongoing emotional recovery, Tucker said the adoption process will differ from the shelter's typical approach. Instead of inviting the public to come meet with the dogs, Tucker said she and the staff will review each application — drafted specifically for these border collies — and match selected applicants with each dog based on its individual needs.
"If I have a dog that I think would be really great in a home with young children, and I have a family that has, you know, a backyard with young children, that's a dog that I will select for them," Tucker explained. "If I have a dog that is very shy and that is going to do best in a quiet home without kids running around and maybe without another dog, I'm going to match that dog up with that person."
The shelter will also accept applications from animal rescues across the U.S. While Tucker said she is optimistic that the majority of the dogs will be adoptable, there are two that are still "shut down" and "struggling immensely."
"I want them to live a long, happy life with whoever is lucky enough to get one of these dogs," Tucker said.
The shelter is also assembling resources to help cover the dogs' continued care, supported by donors from across the region who responded to news of the rescue.
"We are indebted to our community. We asked for help, and the community heard our cries — literally, our cries for help — and they showed up in a big way," Tucker said.
Tucker said adoptions at the shelter have increased over the past two weeks since the dogs arrived. The shelter noted that one of its biggest ongoing needs has been space to care for all 36 animals.
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