Guilford County, NC -- The Guilford County Animal Shelter was already at capacity before taking in nearly 50 animals that were seized from a home in Rockingham County.
Wednesday, shelter staff picked up 34 dogs, five chinchillas, five guinea pigs, and two ferrets that were removed from the property as part of an animal cruelty investigation.
"We were hoping that they only needed us to take about 15 to 20. We ended up having to take 34 in order to help these animals find the help that they needed," Executive Director Marsha Williams said about the dogs.
"Hopefully we won't have any more coming in any time soon in this large number."
The shelter already had more than 1,000 animals before the new additions. Williams said while they can't turn down any animals from Guilford County, if another county asked them for help any time soon, they'd likely have to say no. That could mean having to put down animals that are already there, she said.
"We're doing what we have to do. We're not putting any animals down that are already here, so we're not having to euthanize in order to take these animals. If that was the case then we would not have taken them," said Williams. "They need someone and we couldn't say no. We thought about it, but it was something we knew we had to do."
Williams said all of the dogs from Rockingham County should eventually be up for adoption, but that could take a couple of weeks.
The best way to help out is by adopting and fostering animals from the shelter, and donating food.
Kim Alboum, North Carolina State Director for the Humane Society of the United States, said the rest of the seized animals are going to SPCA's in Virginia Beach and Norfolk, and some might go to a rescue group in Wake Forest.
A total of 93 dogs were taken from the home on Monday, according to Rockingham County Sheriff's spokesman Dean Venable. He said 19 were immediately euthanized because of their health condition. Other seized animals included six goats, one horse and six dead dogs.
37-year-old Thomas Adkins and 19-year-old Amber Adkins, who live at home from where the animals were taken, face 25 counts of misdemeanor Cruelty to Animals.
Thomas spoke with WFMY News 2 on Monday. He said he and his wife are volunteers for a rescue organization in New York and take in unwanted dogs that are transported up to the rescue farm.
"There are a couple dead animals there, but that's just the way it is," said Adkins. "We're giving them hope, we're giving them a chance, we're rehabilitating them, spending time with them, we're feeding them, taking care of them."
Adkins said some of the seized animals were personal pets and he wants them back.
He said, "I don't want people to look at the situation and look at us as the bad guy. We're trying to make a difference and we're trying to help. We have done nothing wrong."
Adkins said some of the seized animals were personal pets and he wants them back.
He said, "I don't want people to look at the situation and look at us as the bad guy. We're trying to make a difference and we're trying to help. We have done nothing wrong."
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