An Arizona woman was arrested Friday after officers in hazmat suits stormed her Chandler home to rescue 55 starved dogs from squalid conditions.
April McLaughlin had also kept five deceased dogs in her freezer next to food in a disgusting scene, according to authorities. Many of the starved animals were special needs pups.
A vet called 911 on September 8 about the horrific condition of three dogs McLaughlin was taking care of.
Once there, officers were met with overwhelming smells and poor-quality air that forced them to don hazmat suits to access the home that was supposed to be an animal rescue facility.
“We wanted to ensure there weren’t hazardous fumes occurring at the residence with first responders inside a very small home,” Chandler Police Sgt. Emma Huenneke said.
McLaughlin was charged with 55 counts of animal abuse, 55 counts of animal cruelty, and one count of vulnerable adult abuse after her 83-year-old mother was also found living inside the house of horrors.
Prosecutors said that many of the rescued dogs will have to be euthanized after they were found living in their own trash and without water; the dogs were kept in packed crates and covered with tarps.
