GUADALUPE COUNTY, Texas – More than a dozen dogs found alone and abandoned in Guadalupe County nearly came face to face with death.
WARNING: Some viewers may find some of the images below disturbing in nature. Viewer discretion is advised.
Some of the 15 dogs rescued by Guadalupe County Animal Control on Sunday were so skinny their bones were clearly visible.
“I saw something flash in front of me,” Kati Durham said. “Some creature, and I was, like, what the heck was that.”
Kati Durham said she was driving on FM 2623 when she spotted what she thought was a hyena.
“I was, like, ‘No way was that’s a dog,’” Durham said.
When she returned with food Saturday, she found more dogs also in need of help. She contacted the Guadalupe County Sheriff’s Office, and the next morning, more than a dozen dogs were rescued. Two of them ran from the property.
“This group of dogs here is disgusting,” Sherriff Arnold Zwicke said. “It’s horrible. No animal should have to live like that. Wild animals are in better shape than most of these animals are here.”
The owner of the property where the dogs were found is facing charges of animal cruelty. The sheriff says no one lived on the property, and the animals hadn’t been properly fed or given water for several days.
“There were just starving dogs, and they were shaking. They were obviously traumatized,” Durham said.
There are also about 35 horses and donkeys on the abandoned property. Animal Control is continuing to investigate and help treat four of the horses that may be in poor condition.
Durham was able to raise more than $5,000 online in two days for the dogs to be treated by a local veterinarian. The money will also go to shelters to help find the dogs’ forever homes. The Sheriff’s Office said they won’t be ready for adoption for a while because of their health conditions.
Durham said she is imagining the day when they find families who give them beds, food and lots of love.
“Just feeling the love that they deserve, that every pet deserves,” Durham said.
There will be a hearing in front of a judge May 10 to determine the severity of the animal cruelty charges against the owner.
Animal Cruelty charges start as a Class A misdemeanor, and depending on how the condition of the animals is determined to be by a veterinarian, those charged can be upgraded to a third-degree felony.
DISTURBING IMAGES OF DOGS BELOW. Viewer discretion is advised.
Photo credit: Kati Durham