MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — Staff at the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast (HSTC) in Palm City are in the midst of an arduous process: medically grooming, bathing and examining 36 Border Collies brought to them Monday by Martin County deputies. Their fur was caked with feces and mats the size of apples.
"This is the worst case we've ever seen," said Sarah Fisher, a spokeswoman for HSTC. "We've seen throughout the years a dog or a cat, here and there, coming in with severe medical needs, but not 36 of them in this shape all at the same time."
WATCH BELOW: 'Worst case we've ever seen': Humane Society caring for 36 rescued dogs
Deputies rescued the Border Collies from a Palm City home Monday. Videos released by the sheriff's office show feces piled inches high inside the home and dogs that were so filthy that they blended in with the garbage and feces around them.
"Right now they're very, very shut down. They're almost catatonic. Some of them aren't even walking. They're just laying on their sides," Fisher said. "We're going one by one and we are shaving-- cutting down the mats, and trying to see the extent of their medical (needs)."
Fisher said many of the dogs have eye and skin infections, requiring special care during a shaving process that can take an hour for each dog.
"As we're cutting and we're shaving, we're finding lots of pieces of metal — rusted metal, sharp metal — that have been stuck in their fur, along with shards of glass," Fisher said. "We did shave a puppy and three pounds of mats came off her."
The dogs' former owner, Paige O'Donnell, was arrested Monday as deputies broke through her door. According to her arrest affidavit, she was taking a bath when law enforcement arrived to serve a warrant.
O'Donnell now faces 72 criminal charges: one felony animal torture charge and one misdemeanor confinement charge for each dog. She remains in the Martin County Jail with bond set at $270,000.
The 11-page affidavit details a renewed interest from investigators in O'Donnell's home after WPTV shared a neighbor's complaint with the sheriff's office. That neighbor, and others, had been reporting concerns about a large number of dogs at O'Donnell's home since at least 2020. A WPTV investigation that aired last week, before O'Donnell's arrest, detailed previous attempts by the sheriff's office to investigate, as O'Donnell continued to wall herself off from law enforcement.
As deputies kept an eye on O'Donnell's home and began to ask her questions in July, the affidavit describes deceptive behavior from O'Donnell. She would not let deputies into her home, and blaming the stench that lingered across the road on "missed trash collection" and "old seafood."
After multiple canceled meetings with investigators, O'Donnell eventually agreed to meet in a park with one dog, which she said was one of only four she owned, according to the affidavit.
"It was... evident that he had been freshly bathed, as his coat was still wet," animal control officer Tabitha Queen wrote of the meeting. "I observed that Paige had attempted to cut away some of the matted fur; however, his coat remained matted and unkempt."
Asked why the dog's fur was stained, "she stated she did not see anything."
When deputies arrived at O'Donnell's home Monday, she was asked about the conditions of the home and dogs.
"She only said she was in the process of cleaning it," the affidavit said.
"My heart's completely broken," Fisher said. "It hurts so bad knowing that these animals trusted a human. They are voiceless. They trust humans and that these humans do this to them."
Donna Turner and Tina Smith visited the Humane Society Tuesday after seeing images of Monday's rescue.
"We were just heartbroken," Smith said.
"Neighbors have pitched in towels and blankets and everything else, so we're just trying to help out," Turner said, as she and Smith hauled bags of dog food and clean towels from their car to the lobby. "We're just trying to help out."
The Humane Society of the Treasure Coast is asking for the public's help, particularly after also taking in more than 100 animals from another alleged hoarder in July.
"Our biggest need is monetary donations to our emergency medical fund," Fisher said. "This is depleting our emergency medical fund."
Fisher said the Border Collies will not be ready to leave the Humane Society any time soon, but there are adoptable animals available now. They're running a name-your-own-price promotion to encourage adoptions and clear space in the shelter.
Click here to see adoptable animals or make a donation.