Lexington, Ky. – The Lexington Humane Society recently faced a unique challenge when they responded to a call regarding a single-family residence housing over 20 adult German shepherds. This case marks an unusual hoarding scenario for the organization, which typically encounters similar situations involving puppies.
According to Katy Stoess, the special events manager at the humane society, “A single-family house had over 20 German shepherds. Full grown, adult German shepherds, not puppies.” While the humane society often collaborates with Lexington Fayette Animal Care and Control in hoarding cases, they had not previously dealt with a situation involving this many full-grown dogs.
In the wake of the rescue, the humane society has been working diligently to ensure the well-being of the dogs, including siblings like Merlot and Zinfandel, as they seek suitable adoptive homes. “Some of them are up for adoption, some of them have already been adopted, and the rest are undergoing some medical care until they’re healthy enough to be adopted,” Stoess stated.
Currently, three German shepherds are available for adoption. The humane society, which was at full capacity at the time of this rescue, accommodated the dogs by creatively utilizing space, including offices and conference rooms. Stoess emphasized, “We put them wherever we can.”
As part of their efforts, the humane society is reaching out for support from the community. Stoess highlighted the need for potential adopters to possess experience with German shepherds, due to the breed’s high energy levels and unique characteristics. “We definitely recommend the adopter have some experience with German shepherds. They’re such a cool breed. They’re such a unique breed, but they’re high energy, so with that experience, we believe it’ll be a more successful adoption,” she explained.
For those interested in supporting the cause, the humane society invites individuals to visit and consider adoption or fostering of other pets if they lack experience with German shepherds. “If you don’t have previous experience with German shepherds but still want to do your part, fostering or adopting other pets will help, too,” Stoess added.
As the Lexington Humane Society continues its mission to find loving homes for these rescued dogs, community involvement will play a crucial role in ensuring their success.
