EAST STROUDSBURG -- Several agencies have been working together over the past two days to rescue more than 50 dogs from the home of a woman in Carbon County.
Officials confirm there were also about 30 to 40 cats on the property.
Officials aren't saying much about where the dogs were taken from, but we watched as more than a dozen Yorkies arrived at a veterinarian in East Stroudsburg Thursday afternoon, reeking of urine and in obvious need of care.
They are 13 of the more than 50 Yorkies hoarded by a woman in Carbon County.
"This person got into a situation where they were probably overwhelmed and didn't know what to do with these animals," said Dr. Samantha Thompson, Pocono Peak Veterinary Center.
Crews have been rescuing the dogs one by one and bringing them to area veterinarians.
Dr. Thompson is taking a close look at each dog. Many stink of urine and feces, and are flea-ridden.
"This is one of the males. As you can see he's a little more rough."
Six other dogs were cleaned up Thursday morning at Camp Papillon in Snydersville, all quiet, many shaking and scared.
"Everybody has fleas. They're flea-ridden, some sort of flea allergy. We have bare skin showing through. We have lesions on the neck," said Gerri Papillon.
Carbon County's animal cruelty officer says at least 30 cats were also on the property.
Many say this is a situation of someone with good intentions getting in way over their head.
"They don't realize what it's doing to them, and it's a real shame because their heart's in the right place, but they don't realize they can't do it," Papillon said.
Now Camp Papillon and several other rescue agencies are helping care for the animals while the hoarding case is investigated by state police.
"They really need some education and need help to understand what needs to be done for these animals because this is something that gets out of hand very, very easily," said Dr. Thompson.
Officials say they expect charges to be filed Friday in district court against the woman who hoarded these dogs and cats in Carbon County.
The dogs will eventually be up for adoption. For more information on Camp Papillon, go to their Facebook page.