More than 260 animals rescued in Dade County hoarding case
UPDATE: We spoke with several rescuers who say that this was among the worst scenes that they have ever seen.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Audray Luck, who runs the pet rescue Luck’s Rescue. “The rooms were so packed full of the dogs, the dogs couldn’t even turn around. There were so many animals in those rooms and those dogs were getting trampled, there were dead dogs being trampled on, they probably didn’t even know about them because they couldn’t even see them.”
Luck says that this investigation began because a neighbor noticed a foul odor coming from the Sells Avenue home in Trenton, and that led to discoveries that the owners were not licensed in the state of Georgia to breed animals.
Trenton Vice Mayor and the founder of Dade County Pet Rescue Monda Wooten, said that previous attempts to make contact with the owners were unsuccessful, as they were selling puppies up to a thousand dollars a piece at various locations, never at their home.
On the condition of the animals, Wooten said, “It seemed like the older the dog was the worse it was the matting, the health issues, needing vet care, it was a very heart wrenching thing to see.”
One of the dogs, a seven year old mother who veterinarians believe was forced to give birth to 14 to 21 litters, was in especially poor condition.
Emily Richards, who runs the Trenton-Dade County Animal Center, described her injuries as, “These matts hanging off of her, this isn’t just hair, it’s feces. This is feces matted into her fur because she has been laying stationary for years in her own filth. She has dreadlocks on her body with her own waste in it.
Luck added that the dog, “She can’t even walk because her nails are so long. She has gingivitis and rotten teeth, she has an eye infection.”
Richards described the operation as, “I wouldn’t even call it backyard breeding. This was a straight up illegal puppy mill in my opinion.”
They say that this case, which is currently under investigation from the Georgia Department of Agriculture with charges pending, is an example of why the culture around the treatment of animals needs to change.
Wooten said, “They don’t want to get them fixed, and they don’t understand when they get out here and roam around, that’s when 90% of the problems occur, because of that dog being unaltered, whether it’s a dog looking for another dog in heat or that dog actually being in heat.”
As a new animal shelter is planned for Trenton, they say responsible pet ownership and updated ordinances are the way to tackle this problem.
While it is illegal to breed without a license in the state of Georgia, resources to enforce that are stretched thin.
Richards said, “The person I spoke with yesterday said that there are only six enforcement officers in the entire state for the Department of Agriculture, so one way we can lighten that load is that our local law enforcement are also enforcing these breeding licenses, we can ensure that these problems can be stopped before they get going and they become such an issue.”
Many of the dogs rescued have been adopted, but some still remain available at numerous north Georgia agencies.
These include:
- Dade County Pet Rescue
- Luck’s Rescue
- Walker County Animal Shelter
- Murray County Animal Shelter
- Forsyth County Animal Shelter
- Catoosa County Animal Shelter
- Cherokee County Animal Shelter
- Sun Dog Grooming
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DADE COUNTY, Ga. (WDEF) — Dade County officials rescued more than 260 animals from a large-scale hoarding situation on Tuesday, July 1, 2025.
The rescue began around 12:00 p.m. and continued into the early hours of Wednesday, with crews working until 2 a.m. to remove animals from what authorities described as “deplorable conditions.”
Unfortunately, several deceased animals were also found inside the home.
“Animal hoarding is a horrendous situation—not only for the animals involved but for the communities affected. This is the fifth hoarding case we’ve seen in just two weeks, and by far the most severe. We are incredibly grateful to all the agencies, veterinarians, and volunteers who answered the call and worked tirelessly through the night. Their efforts saved hundreds of animal lives.”
-Don Townsend, County Executive
The Georgia Department of Agriculture is leading the ongoing investigation.
Dade County encourages residents to report suspected hoarding or animal cruelty to the proper authorities.
Further updates will be shared by the Georgia Department of Agriculture as the case develops.
