Dozens of West Highland White Terriers, or Westies, are being cared for at a shelter after Marysville police found them living in severe hoarding conditions.
Dozens of West Highland White Terriers, or Westies, are being cared for at the Everett Animal Shelter after Marysville police found them living in severe hoarding conditions inside a cramped utility trailer.
Marysville police seized 42 Westies on Aug. 31. The dogs ranged in age from four weeks to four years, and none were spayed or neutered.
Officers found kennels stacked on top of each other with makeshift partitions, according to the Marysville Police Department. Many of the dogs were matted and soaked with urine.
"It was a breeding, breeding-hoarding type situation," said Community Service Officer Joie Mette. "They were really stressed, very upset, worried. You could tell they were like, 'what's happening, why are these people touching us?' They had not been handled."
All 42 dogs were taken to the Everett Animal Shelter, where staff provided vaccinations, microchips, and clean housing.
Shelter officials said a young female dog became sick with suspected parvovirus and required hospitalization but has since recovered.
To protect the other animals, the shelter placed all of the rescued Westies under quarantine, which is expected to end Sept. 21.
Grooming and individual care will resume as medical staff clear each dog.
"They all have something wrong with them," Mette said. "I'm going through the medical reports now, and every single one of them has something, but all of that can be taken care of with time."
Community interest in adopting the rescued Westies has been strong. The Everett Animal Shelter received more than 250 adoption applications in a short period and is no longer accepting new applications for the dogs.
None of the Westies are currently available for adoption because of an ongoing legal matter.
Shelter staff said people will be notified if any of the dogs become eligible for adoption, and emphasized that there are still opportunities for the public to help.
"You can donate on our website, or you are more than welcome to come in and foster other animals or volunteer your time," said Leslie Wall, the assistant animal services manager at the shelter.
After collecting veterinary findings and other case details, Mette submitted 43 counts of second-degree animal cruelty and one breeding-related charge to the Marysville Prosecutor’s Office.
"There's nothing OK about this," Mette said. "It's just a situation where I think it got out of control and he did nothing about it."
The case remains ongoing as the legal process moves forward and the dogs continue receiving care.
