Tragic Hoarding Case in Tallahatchie

On September 30, IDA’s Hope Animal Sanctuary (HAS) Operations Manager Sharon Stone received a call from a woman alerting her to an existing hoarding situation where one resident had died and another had been removed from the residence by authorities. Subsequent to that call, she received two more calls reporting the same situation. All callers reported numerous dogs in the residence that had not been fed or watered for four or five days. Realizing the urgency of the situation, Sharon and HAS Director, Doll Stanley, made plans to rescue the dogs. After speaking with both the property owner and law enforcement, arrangements were made to perform the rescue on the morning of October 1st.

This was a classic case of hoarding, of not only dogs but things as well. Every room was piled high with trash, papers, and boxes. As our staff members approached the residence, they discovered the body of one dog who sadly had not survived. When they entered the residence, they could hear the sound of dogs barking from further inside the house. The floor had rotted and was caving in as they moved around the residence. Before they could get to the room where the dogs were kept, they had to move piles of garbage and empty boxes all covered with both human and animal waste; the smell was truly indescribable. As they neared the first door, they had to bend down to cross the threshold because the trash and feces was piled so high.

They finally reached the small, dark room where the dogs were kept. That room too was piled high with mounds of garbage atop several tables. Underneath the tables, were more empty boxes and trash, and this is where the dogs made little tunnels and where they were forced to live. The poor dogs, having not seen anyone except the two residents of the house, were terrified, but at the same time, quite curious. The room was filled with garbage, making it very difficult for more than one person at a time to enter. Just inside of the door was another body; tragically another dog who did not survive.

Doll crawled in on her hands and knees and began catching the smaller of the dogs. Very quickly, she had two captured and in crates. The rescuers moved on to capture the other dogs, and one by one they were crated and carried out of that house of horrors.

The surviving dogs are all now safe after being placed with several of HAS’ rescue partners. Many thanks to everyone who helped make this rescue a success. These people include the ones who all cared enough about the welfare of the dogs to call HAS, then Sharon Stone, Doll Stanley, Shay Houston Cole and Kenny Harrison from our HAS team, also the Tallahatchie County Sheriff’s Department, and of course our donors and supporters.