51 animals rescued from hoarding situation, Little Traverse Bay Humane Society says

UPDATE 04/17/24 5:10 p.m.

If you are struggling with hoarding or are not able to keep animals, you can reach out to The Little Traverse Bay Humane Society for help.

49 cats and 2 dogs were brought into The Little Traverse Bay Humane Society Tuesday after being rescued from a hoarding situation in Emmett County.

“I think initially there was a little bit of a pause just because, you know, like many shelters across the nation, we are full,” says Executive Director at The Little Traverse Bay Humane Society Elise Ramsey.

Matting, respiratory illnesses, and surgeries were all a part of this rescue. Even with as devastating this issue is, members of the team say they do not judge.

“The intentions generally with hoarders are not bad. They want to help the animals. They have a love for animals, and it gets out of control,” said Ramsey.

The team didn’t see this as a hurdle but rather as excitement, a way they knew they could help show these animals the love that they deserve.

“Knowing that this was such a unique opportunity to help these pets in this moment of crisis, we they were really excited to get together and start finding solutions and finding places for these incredible animals to go,” said Ramsey.

But as excited as they could be to help these animals, every animal lover struggles to see any animal in poor condition.

“He had a lot of impacted feces matted into that fur. So just the fact that he can feel things on his skin right now is probably pretty incredible to him. The initial disappointment and concern when you first see them is always heartbreaking,” said Ramsey.

Staff members are crucial in these situations but with an already packed shelter, so are volunteers.

“At times like these are critical for our volunteer engagement. So, you know, we showed up to work this morning and there were already volunteers here waiting to come in and help us out,” said Ramsey.

“It makes dogs like Beau wag his tail like this after he’s had such a hard life. It’s really incredible just to see them trust us again,” she adds.

But if you can’t help by volunteering, you can spread the word of the importance of spaying and neutering animals.

“I mean, spay and neuter is the easiest way to prevent a situation like this,” says Ramsey.

You can find link to donate to help the shelter and these animals down below.

Wishlist: www.ltbhs.com/wishlist

Donations: www.ltbhs.com/donate

04/16/24 5:40 p.m.

EMMET COUNTY — The Little Traverse Bay Humane Society said Tuesday that the group, along with the Emmet County Sheriff’s Office, has rescued 51 animals.

The animals were found in what the group described as a probable hoarding situation. Pictures the Humane Society posted (see below) show cats and dogs living in cages surrounded by filth.

The group said that many of the rescued cats and dogs “will need medical treatment, grooming, bathing, and foster care, and several have very young kittens.”

Donations are being sought to help care for the animals. To help out financially, go to the Little Traverse Bay Humane Society donation page: https://www.ltbhs.com/donate.

If you’re interested in adopting an animal, the group asks that you email sgraves@ltbhs.com.