PLAINS TOWNSHIP -- All things considered, the 35 chihuahuas that were transported to the Luzerne County SPCA are in pretty good condition.
These 35 dogs were divided up between the SPCA. The Dessin Animal Shelter in Honesdale and the Pike County Humane Society.
"The animals actually, for a hoarding situation, are in pretty good shape. They're socialized mostly. They're semi-clean," said Janet Neim, the shelter manager at the Pike County Humane Society.
But after the last two days they've had, it'll take a few days before they're ready to be adopted.
Cindy Starke is the shelter director at the Luzerne County SPCA, where the dogs were brought from Harrisburg.
Starke says this is one of the most severe hoarding cases she's ever seen. She says animal hoarding is preventable. It often happens when pets aren't spayed or neutered.
"This is a serious situation and it's a serious situation pretty much nationwide. Too many animals. Not enough homes," said Starke.
As soon as these dogs arrived to the SPCA, they were vaccinated and some were clipped. They now have to be spayed, neutered, de-wormed, and de-fleaed before they're ready to be adopted.
"These things are kind of, they're not horribly labor intensive. But when you get 186 or 206, they are labor intensive. It takes a lot of people to take care of that many animals," said Starke.
Starke says the first sign someone is hoarding animals is the odor, and if you think someone's hoarding, you should call your local shelter.