Abandoned dogs rescued from filthy Lakewood home

Dozens of dogs were removed from a filthy abandoned Lakewood home on Thursday night described one one rescue worker as the worst he has ever seen.

Driveway leading to the home on Spruce Street in Lakewood where dozens of dogs were found abandoned (Lakewood Scoop)

The dogs were found amid urine and feces in a house on Spruce Street, according to the Lakewood Scoop, which reports some of the animals were dead. Others were found inside the walls of the structure, according to News 12 New Jersey, which also reports that Berkley Township's hazmat team was called to the scene.

The home's owners, who apparently left the dogs uncared for, were not immediately identified.

John Bergmann ,General Manager of the Associated Humane Society's Popcorn Park Zoo in Forked River led a team of volunteers asked to help the Husky House Shelter remove dogs from the house, calls the scene among the worst he has ever encountered."The property was a real mess" to even get onto the property itself. He described a horrific scene with "stool all over the place and holes in walls where dogs had gone from one room to another when doors were closed."

The Popcorn Park Zoo's van outside the Lakewood house where dozens of dogs were found abandoned. (Lakewood Scoop)

Bergman, whose team took away five of the dogs, described the dogs he saw as "science projects gone bad" with odd cross breeds such as a Doberman and a poodle. He saw Golden Retrivers with "unbelievably matted hair" and fur coats that were "atrocious."

The dogs were more scared and upset rather than vicious as police moved in and crated up the dogs."No matter how bad it was this was their home," says Bergman. "It was a pretty horrific thing for them."

Bergman says the dog in the Zoo's care have been vetted and groomed and will eventually be put up for adoption.

Husky House Shelter removed around 30 of the dogs from the home, transporting them to their shelter in Matawan, where they were bathed and shaved. "People may have treated them poorly in the past, but they will never know anything but love and respect from this moment forward," the shelter posted on its Facebook. An update on Friday morning said that what was cleaned off the dogs "must have weighed over 50 pounds." The post reports that two of the younger dogs were playing with volunteers after being cleaned up. "They were rolling around, playing and being the silly, care-free pups that they SHOULD be," wrote the shelter.

Police and animal rescue crews respond to animals abandoned at a filthy home in Lakewood (The Lakewood Scoop)

The post thanked the groomers and volunteers who responded to the call for help with the dogs.

The New Jersey SPCA also helped care for the dogs.

The emergency operation put a strain on Husky House's supplies and created a need for paper towels, cleaning supplies, blankets and gift cards. A full list of needs can be found on Amazon.