The Oakville and Milton Humane Society is appealing for donations after 33 chihuahuas were rescued from an Oakville home.

The dogs were found living in squalid conditions last Friday after a concerned resident alerted Halton police, said Amanda Barrett, the agency’s manager of animal protective services.

When Barrett was called in, she found what she called an apparent breeding operation gone wrong.

She also described the level of clutter in the home as a scene out of the TV show Hoarders.

The way the dogs were being housed, however, was even worse.

“I’ve been in this line of work for over six years and this is probably one of the worst cases I can honestly say I have ever seen,” said Barrett.

“There were crates stacked upon crates with defecation falling through onto the other dogs. It was packed solid with urine and defecation and newspaper shreddings. The dogs were being housed with several of them in a small cage and the size of the cage was not allowing them adequate movement.”

Barrett, who said her eyes still sting from the ammonia in the air at the home, described the smell as overwhelming. She said one of her officers had to leave when he began having breathing problems.

“As much as we just deal with animals, I am a little concerned for the owner as well. I kept on stressing that to her and finally after explaining to her that even she shouldn’t be living in these conditions she actually ended up cooperating with us and surrendering the animals to us,” said Barrett.

“They say hoarding is a psychological illness and after seeing this case I think that is the truth.”

Despite the conditions they were found in, Barrett said, the chihuahuas were surprisingly healthy.

They had minor eye and respiratory problems, which are clearing up after being exposed to fresh air for a few days.

Barrett said since the dogs were removed from the home they have become more sociable with people.

As more medical testing must still be done, Barrett was unable to say when the dogs will be ready for adoption.

In the meantime, providing food, shelter and medical treatment for them has stressed the Humane Society’s limited resources, she said.

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Donations can be made at the shelter at 445 Cornwall Rd., or by calling 905-845-1551 or online at oakvillemiltonhumane.ca.

The Humane Society is investigating the incident and no charges have been laid.