MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — A Florida lawmaker is calling for a mandatory dog breeder registry after Martin County deputies rescued 36 Border Collies from what the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast called the worst animal hoarding case in its history.
WATCH BELOW: 'For so many years, animals were just considered a piece of property,' State Rep. Meg Weinberger tells WPTV's Jamie Ostroff
State Rep. Meg Weinberger, R-Palm Beach Gardens, said the Palm City rescue has made strengthening Florida's animal protection laws more urgent. She wants to build on recent legislation signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis that requires the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation to publish voluntary best practices for dog breeders.
"These are little steps -- baby steps -- but if you really want to be a great breeder, then you're going to want to have that stamp of Florida," Weinberger told WPTV.
Martin County Rescue Reveals Horrific Conditions
Deputies arrested Paige O'Donnell on Monday after breaking into her Palm City home, where they found 36 Border Collies living in deplorable conditions. The dogs' fur was matted with feces and debris, with some mats weighing up to three pounds, according to the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast.
Videos released by the Martin County Sheriff's Office show feces piled inches high throughout the home and dogs so filthy they blended into the surrounding waste and garbage.
"This is the worst case we've ever seen," said Sarah Fisher, a spokeswoman for the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast. "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."
Dogs Require Extensive Medical Care
Staff members are working around the clock to medically groom, bathe and examine the rescued Border Collies. Many suffer from eye and skin infections, and the shaving process can take an hour per 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.
The dogs remain traumatized from their ordeal.
"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.
WATCH BELOW: 'Worst case we've ever seen': Humane Society caring for 36 rescued dogs
Investigation Renewed After WPTV Report
The 11-page arrest affidavit details how the investigation was renewed after WPTV shared a neighbor's complaint with the Martin County Sheriff's Office. Neighbors 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.
According to the affidavit, O'Donnell exhibited deceptive behavior during the investigation. When deputies began monitoring her home in July, she would not let them inside and blamed the stench on "missed trash collection" and "old seafood."
After multiple canceled meetings, O'Donnell eventually agreed to meet investigators in a park with one dog, claiming she owned only four animals total. Animal control officer Tabitha Queen noted the dog "had been freshly bathed" but "remained matted and unkempt."
Criminal Charges Filed
O'Donnell 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 Martin County Building Department posted a notice of condemnation to O'Donnell's home Wednesday, citing an unsanitary single-family residence unfit for human occupancy.
Legislative Push for Animal Protection
Weinberger pointed to recent legislation, including Dexter's and Trooper's Laws, as examples of progress in holding people criminally accountable for harming animals.
"For so many years, animals were just considered a piece of property," Weinberger said. "As much as I feel so passionate about the criminal, you know, the laws and the importance of establishing these penalties, I also think it's really important that we need to start teaching our next generations of the importance of animal welfare."
Community Response and Shelter Needs
The rescue has emotionally devastated shelter staff and prompted an outpouring of community support.
"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."
Community members Donna Turner and Tina Smith visited the Humane Society Tuesday with donations of dog food and clean towels.
"We were just heartbroken," Smith said. "Neighbors have pitched in towels and blankets and everything else, so we're just trying to help out."
The Humane Society of the Treasure Coast is asking for public 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."
The Border Collies will require extensive rehabilitation before becoming available for adoption. The shelter is currently running a name-your-own-price promotion to encourage adoptions and clear space for the rescued animals.
Click here to see adoptable animals or make a donation.
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