Thirty-one chihuahuas are now safe in their home and recovering after being rescued from severe hoarding conditions at a Tempe home on Thursday. Police said Jennifer Knutson was immediately arrested for animal cruelty.
The Arizona Humane Society and Tempe police were able to get all the dogs out, with some as young as one-week-old puppies to others eight years old. The Humane Society says the dogs lived without air conditioning and ate off the feces-covered floor. Most of the dogs are between two and five years old.
Police say Knutson had given a dead dog over to police on Wednesday. Investigators found out Knutson didn’t give the dog medical care or the proper treatment, which caused the dog to die. Tempe officers say Knutson has had an extensive history with the Arizona Humane Society. Which has taken over 20 dogs from her home over the last two years.
The dogs found in vets’ testing. The Humane Society says some dogs are still undergoing exams and testing because of the conditions. Some poor pups are shy and scared, but the Humane Society hopes to start working with them once vets medically clear them.
Despite all, they’ve been through. All the dogs made it through their first night and were able to chow down on some food. The chihuahuas are 31 of over 15,000 animals the Humane Society takes in yearly.
