Sixteen German shepherds and three dobermans have been rescued from squalid living conditions at a decrepit mansion used as a puppy mill in New Jersey, officials said.
The dogs, which are believed to have been owned and bred by a squatter at the Paterson home, were discovered by the city’s Animal Control “weak and malnourished” and crammed into cages, according to the Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge.
The animal rescue agency said that the home was littered with feces and the cages showed signs that the pooches tried to claw their way out of the entrapments.
The dogs range from young adults to seniors, some of which are in need of immediate medical attention, RBAR said. The breeder appears to have left with one other puppy.
The organization has teamed up with Second Chance Pet Adoption League of West Milford to find the dogs a home.
The breeder is believed to be a repeat offender, Paterson cops told RBAR. Officials are conducting a DNA test to determine whether dogs may be connected to several other German shepherds that were rescued in New Jersey and New York over the past year.
“Just a day ago, these 19 dogs were living in filth and squalor with the sole purpose of breeding. Today, they have a new lease on life, with thanks to rescue,” the organization said.