Image taken from video footage from the Burien home where 14 neglected dogs could not be saved
Here at Pasado’s Safe Haven, we know the financial and temporal commitment involved in large-scale animal rescue. When dozens of dogs were recently rescued from a local hoarding case, several organizations stepped in to provide care for these innocent victims. One of these organizations was CARE of Burien. While Pasado’s is not in the business or position to lend financial support to other organizations, we feel that it is appropriate to offer financial assistance to an organization that stepped in to help save these dogs. Pasado’s is providing a $5,000 donation to CARES of Burien. We are hoping that the financial assistance will help offset some of the veterinary bills that CARES incurred due to this rescue.
Rehabilitating these dogs and helping them regain their health will take love, patience, and time. While some media sources have stated that the dogs in the Issaquah and Burien homes were in good health and living in good conditions, those who actually saw the dogs disagree. Two of the dogs from the Issaquah home have since died.
A witness refuted reports that the dogs were in good condition, stating that some of them were noticeably underweight and living in cages that were filled with urine and excrement. Many of the long-haired dogs were heavily matted, with urine burns, urine-stained coats, and overgrown toenails. Some of the dogs appeared to have potentially serious dental and eye issues and some of the dogs seemed to be nearly blind. Most of the dogs also exhibited severe stereotypies such as spinning, which is indicative of stress and a lack of social enrichment.
Dawn Gerken, a volunteer for Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC), also witnessed the condition of the dogs and their living areas. “It was sad and hard to see the conditions that the dogs were in,” Gerken stated. “They were out of their kennels, but were just filthy from being confined for so long in such small spaces. There were blankets and towels and some bedding for them to lay on before they were shampooed and groomed, but there was feces on the floor because they had no sense of where they should go to the bathroom. As soon as I walked into one of the rooms where they were being held before being cleaned, they walked right up to you…you could tell all they wanted was some human contact. It was sad to see,” Gerken stated. Gerken, a reporter for Examiner.com, wrote a column about the case, as well.
From rescuers to reporters, Pasado’s is grateful to all who participated in this wide-scale rescue. Pasado’s would like to send a heartfelt thank you to CARES and to the Good Samaritan who reached out to us and provided the footage that broke this case. We would also like to thank our investigative team and local law enforcement. This compassionate collaboration ensured that many lives were saved.
Thanks to the support of readers like you, Pasado’s can continue to be at the forefront of animal rescue efforts. Please consider making a donation today: Your generosity can help us answer the call when animals need our help the most. When we work together, we truly can make a world of difference.