A distressed dog was discovered in a filthy warehouse in Brooklyn, alongside the deceased body of its elderly owner on Saturday. The owner, 73-year-old Irene Horn, was found in a garbage pile, and a total of 115 dogs—five of which were dead—were rescued from the home, most of them being terrier mixes.
“They seemed really anxious, but I’m pretty sure they’re relieved to escape the awful conditions and get some grooming,” observed one of the rescuers. Many of the dogs had fur that was tangled and matted, which must be quite painful for them.
It appears that inbreeding may have occurred among the dogs, which raises some concerns.
Neighbors described the living situation at the house on 66th Avenue and National Drive as frightening. Horn and her sister lived there without electricity, but it’s unclear exactly how long they had been in those conditions. Interestingly, the property is valued at over $1.3 million.
Reports indicate that Horn’s sister was also found alive but had been receiving care around 7 a.m. from a healthcare worker when neither authorities nor family could reach them in time.
Karen Lecain, from Dutchess County’s animal rescue operations, had to sedate some dogs for grooming purposes, saying, “It was necessary; they would have been in pain otherwise.”
Rescuers worked into the late hours, cleaning up the 40 dogs they managed to save, one of which sadly gave birth to a stillborn puppy during the process. Lecain mentioned, “That must have been traumatic. Some of these dogs were born there and have never been outside, so it’s going to take a lot of time for them to feel secure.”
Meanwhile, Jennifer Brooks, who is the president of NYC Second Chance Rescue, mentioned having to wash a rescued dog multiple times to remove dirt and debris, noting, “It took several shampoos before the water stopped being yellow.” Barbie, a 4-year-old Shih Tzu-Japanese Chin mix, has turned from a grimy yellow to a more pleasant cream in just a day, exhibiting surprisingly friendly behavior.
Brooks remarked, “Despite everything, some of them are still very affectionate.” Yet, there’s no denying the need for care and love in their recovery process.
As it stands, the cause of Horn’s death is still unconfirmed, and police have yet to make any arrests related to the case.
