After an unexpected rescue, dozens of Belgian Malinois dogs are relishing their first taste of grass.
The Animal Care Centers of New York City (ACC) and the American Society of Professionals (ASPCA) recently rescued 40 Belgian Malinois dogs from a “filthy, overcrowded” apartment in New York City, according to a release issued on May 9.
Dogs were discovered crowded into closets, cabinets, and other areas “with no access to fresh air or sunlight.” Many of the rescued canines, who range in age from newborn puppies to fully grown adults, have never been outside before, according to the ACC’s announcement.
“These dogs have reportedly lived in total confinement for their entire lives,” Tara Mercado, ACC’s director of behavior and shelter operations stated in detail. “We found full-grown Malinois hidden in cabinets and crammed behind furniture.”
According to an ASPCA statement, they “urgently mobilized alongside our partners at ACC of NYC to rescue dozens of dogs who were living in extremely unsanitary and overcrowded conditions in an apartment in Queens.”
“This case required a strong collaborative effort to bring these dogs to safety, and we’re grateful they’re now receiving the care they deserve. The ASPCA is providing medical and behavioral treatment for more than a dozen of the dogs and supporting the NYPD with their investigation into this situation,” according to the statement.
Senior employees from the ASPCA and ACC flats took the dogs out of their apartments and took them to shelter facilities so they could rest and get checked out. To decide on their next course of action, each canine will get a medical evaluation.
The dogs have probably never gone on a leash, touched grass, or interacted with strangers, according to Dr. Biana Tamimi, director of shelter medicine at ACC. “Every new sound, every human interaction, is overwhelming. But we’re already seeing glimmers of curiosity — and that gives us hope.”
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The ACC’s announcement states that because of their scared and undersocialized upbringing, many Belgian Malinois dogs will need long-term care before they are fit for adoption. Since the ACC’s shelters are already overcrowded, they need assistance making space for this fresh wave of dogs.
The ACC said on Facebook, “We need help from the community. We are now at over 200 dogs in our Queens Care Center — with an additional 175 in our Manhattan and Staten Island Care Centers. We are currently running a fee-waived adoption special for all dogs over 40 lbs.”
Before the ACC announced the rescue on social media, other animal lovers stepped forward to offer support, demonstrating that the ACC and ASPCA are not alone in this matter.
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ACC’s director of placement, Jessica Vacarro, stated that, “Several breed-specific rescues have already offered their assistance in finding homes”
All of the dogs have been placed with shelters and rescues where they can get the training and care they require to heal, according to an update released by the ACC.
Authorities are currently investigating how the rescued pups got into those terrible circumstances, the release continued, while the dogs get used to their new existence outside the packed apartment.
