The Monmouth County SPCA and St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center were called to a home around 8 a.m. Tuesday.
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Authorities say they seized 188 animals that were living in squalor and seemingly had limited human contact and minimal to no veterinary care, along with 30 dogs previously surrendered by the homeowners.
Another 20 animals were found dead in a freezer.
"While they executed a search warrant, we held back," St. Hubert's Vice President of Life Saving Care Becky Burton said. "It took us about six hours to clear the property of all the dogs, several buildings."
The dogs were mostly Jack Russell Terriers.
"It probably became overwhelming for an individual or two to take care of that many dogs," St. Hubert's Good Will Ambassador Nora Parker said. "Many of them are dirty and will need some coat care and some trimming. But we're happy that the medical teams are reporting back that they're not finding anything that can't be treated."
The animal cruelty investigation is ongoing and charges are still pending.
Animal officials are now asking for public donations and support to get the dogs vaccinated, de-wormed and microchipped, along with any other additional medical care they'll need in the future, including spay/neuter surgeries.
They say some of the dogs are pregnant and have masses and infections.
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Donations can be made directly through Facebook, or checks can be mailed to:
MCSPCA
Hunterdon Case
260 Wall Street
Eatontown NJ 07724
As for shelter items, the dogs are in need of blankets, towels, sheets, dog toys, paper towels, cleaning supplies and dog food/treats.
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Donations can be purchased from their Amazon Wish List.