Last fall, repeated calls of “dog at large” in the same area of Bloomfield led to the discovery of an extreme case of animal hoarding – more than 90 big white dogs in dire need of rescue.
Such an enormous case required extensive coordination among city and county law enforcement, animal rescue and welfare organizations, veterinarians, transport partners and community supporters to retrieve the animals, assess their health, treat them and ultimately place them in homes.
Cliff Young, a community service officer in Bloomfield, responded to the initial calls.
“At first we weren’t exactly sure what we were dealing with,” Young said. Authorities opened an investigation to determine how many dogs were involved and who owned them.
Carol Sanchez of Four Corners Wolf Dog Rescue Sanctuary in Farmington became involved, taking in three mothers and 22 puppies. The Aztec Animal Shelter also provided assistance during the initial response.
As the investigation continued, it became clear that the sheer number of dogs could not be accommodated at local shelters, which are often filled to maximum capacity.
The case grew more complex as the number of dogs involved continued to climb. While at the Aztec Animal Shelter, Young spoke with Jennifer McLaughlin, the animal control officer for the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office. “She and I got to talking,” Young said, “and she offered to help us try to find rescue.”
McLaughlin contacted Floss Blackburn at Denkai Animal Sanctuary in Hesperus, Colorado. Denkai also operates a nonprofit veterinary clinic in Durango, where all the animals were examined, vaccinated and treated for various medical conditions. Because the dogs existed as one large pack, with puppies constantly being born, extensive inbreeding occurred, resulting in numerous health and behavioral traits, Blackburn said. Blackburn is the president of Denkai, which she founded 22 years ago.
“Every one had fleas,” Blackburn said. “We had one puppy that almost died from flea anemia, but our vet took her in and had to force-feed her around the clock for a week and saved her life, and now she’s adopted,” Blackburn explained. “Thankfully we didn’t lose anybody, and thankfully they all have pretty darn good dispositions.”
All the animals were spayed or neutered and treated through the clinic. “A lot of them were pretty thin,” she said. “As we have been getting good food in them, they are just sprouting up and growing quickly.”
The dogs belonged to one man who, Young said, had a situation that got away from him. While many of the dogs ran free, two larger males that were fighting had been chained to stakes.
In addition to Blackburn, participating Denkai team members included program manager Tierra Knuckles, veterinary technician Millie Burns, veterinarians Lisa Bane and Victoria Robinson, and team member Savannah Neely.
Additional assistance was provided by Doug and Dallas Kinney, who supported transportation efforts, and intake partners Hoof and Paw and Grand Pyrenees Rescue Resources of Utah and Montana, which also helped place the dogs in appropriate care environments.
The dogs are primarily Great Pyrenees, though other breeds appear to be mixed in. Because of Colorado state law, the dogs were required to be held in a temporary facility constructed in New Mexico while they moved through the veterinary process.
All partners involved in the rescue said this was the largest pet animal hoarding case they had experienced.
The effort to save the animals was costly and relied heavily on outside financial support, including a $45,000 grant from country singer Miranda Lambert’s MuttNation Foundation. An additional $5,000 in combined funding and in-kind donations came from foundations and private citizens who requested anonymity. The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office said the outside support significantly reduced the financial impact on local resources and prevented the operation from placing a major burden on county taxpayers.
On Saturday, Jan. 31, 10 of the remaining dogs at Denkai were vaccinated for Bordetella, and nine were loaded into vans for transport – some to Salt Lake City, some to a trainer in Montrose and some to Olathe, Colorado. Considering the pandemonium caused by 10 dogs who were likely confused by the process, one can only imagine what more than 90 would have been like.
Bloomfield police are withholding the name of the man who originally owned the dogs. Because of his cooperation in bringing the situation under control, he is not being charged in connection with the hoarding. “His heart was in the right place,” Young said. “He had good intentions, it just got away from him. I feel good about the way it went down and going forward,” Young said.
“This rescue reflects the power of collaboration between law enforcement, animal welfare partners and the community,” said Capt. Justin Rieker of the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office. “Because of these partnerships, dozens of animals are now receiving the care and second chance they deserve.”
At a recent Bloomfield City Council meeting, Bloomfield Police Chief Phillip Francisco presented a plaque of appreciation to Denkai Animal Sanctuary and letters of commendation to Bloomfield officers Young and Travis Peterson. While plaques and letters are appreciated, the lasting reward is seeing the remaining dogs move on to brighter futures.
Blackburn emphasized what she called the clear lesson from the case: “Spay and neuter your pets. There are resources here in the area that exist to help with that.”
