EAST AURORA, N.Y. (WKBW) — David Thomason has been working as assistant dog patrol officer for East Aurora for nearly ten years and he said Saturday night was a shock when he was called to a local home on Quaker Road around 2 AM for a barking complaint.
"Deplorable, below zero conditions. And the dogs were all terrified,” Thomason said. "We thought it was five dogs, turned out to be six, and they were jammed up in two little huts."
East Aurora Dog Control rescued the dogs from their outdoor huts, brought them to the highway offices, fed and took care of them.
"They ate the food quickly, drank the water, and because it was warm, they fell asleep,” Thomason said.
But that's not where it ends, Town of Aurora Highway Superintendent David Gunner said he contacted the SPCA because they could hear at least two more dogs barking inside the home; so the SPCA got a warrant to enter.
"That was a big surprise,” Gunner said. “When they came out and there were 24 dogs in there."
It didn't take long for the community to step up, from blanket and towel donations to free grooming at East Aurora Pet Boutique.
"Dog well-being and dog care is our main priority,” Co-owner of East Aurora Pet Boutique Rachel Weiner said.
“We just wanted to get the dogs back to normal as soon as possible,” dog groomer at East Aurora Pet Boutique Lauren Kazimer said.
Kazimer said the dogs came in matted and dirty.
This is what they looked like then:
Here's what they look like now:
And Kazimer said the matting is extremely painful for dogs.
"It can cause infections, it can really irritate the skin, it can cause open wounds,” Kazimer said.
The six dogs that were rescued have new homes, the boutique is offering a dog training discount for the new owners, and the other 24 dogs are safe at the SPCA.
"It’s the best thing we could've hoped for any dog,” Weiner said. “For a dog to have a long, healthy, happy life."
The investigation into the owner of the house where the dogs were found is ongoing. Gunner said the owner has not been back since the dogs were rescued.
