Animal Hoarding Nightmare: 88 Pets Removed from Texas Home

(The Colony, TX) A shocking and wild scene unfolded at a home in North Texas where a local SWAT team had to be called in to save animals living in terrible conditions.

We all love animals but as you know there are some folks who love them a little too much...to the point of "hoarding" them. Inside a single home, officials found a staggering 88 animals, including dogs, cats, reptiles, and pet mice, living in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions.

According to Fox 4, Police said the "animal hoarding" investigation began with tips from neighbors. Neighbors said they have complained in the past about loose and aggressive dogs around the house and one even attacked a disabled child.

The Colony Police, called in the SWAT team out of concerns of a possible confrontation with the owners of the home, an unidentified husband and wife who claimed that they were running a "shelter" out of their home.

After getting the owners of the home out, police went in and reported that the scent inside was "sickening" and the home was in such a deplorable state that it was unfit for humans or animals.

24 dogs, 45 cats, 12 reptiles, and seven mice were rescued while 22 animals didn’t make it out alive and were found dead in the home. The dogs ranged from small dogs to large dogs like a bull mastiff. Many of the cats were kittens. The reptiles included snakes, turtles, and tortoises.

The rescued animals are being evaluated by veterinarians and receiving medical care. They will be sent to separate rescue organizations for temporary housing.

The owners, a husband and wife, have 10 days to make their case before a judge as to whether they should get their animals back but they were not arrested and charged with any crime but those charges are still pending as police continue to investigate.