MIAMI – Employees at the Humane Society of Greater Miami were shocked Friday morning when they discovered 16 Maltese-mix dogs left inside two crates in front of the building.
Employees said the animals were piled on top of each other.
"We are not sure how long these poor dogs were left cramped inside the filthy crates, but it was a heartbreaking situation," said Laurie Hoffman, executive director of the Humane Society of Greater Miami.
The dogs are being examined by veterinarians. Employees said the dogs are very matted and scared. They said some of the dogs even had feces matted into their fur, and others were discolored from stepping in "urine, feces and filth."
"This is sickening," said Hoffman. "How anyone can neglect dogs to eventually get to this condition is just terrible. While we are happy that someone had the decency to bring them here, the condition that these poor dogs are in is absolutely inhumane. All the dogs are very scared and we are doing our best to calm them down, stabilize them and ensure they are provided all the medical care they need."
All the dogs will be quarantined for seven to 14 days to make sure they are healthy and can be put up for adoption.
Follow Local 10 News on Twitter @WPLGLocal10