A total of 37 dogs have been rescued from a home in Wallingford, according to police.
The police department said Wallingford Animal Control received an anonymous letter in February of 2023 stating there were a lot of dogs barking at a home on Benham Avenue.
Police said the barking was coming from a red barn on the property. The owner and her son led animal control officers to the garage where a total of 37 mixed breed dogs were living.
Officers saw a bowl of dirty water on the floor and layers of newspapers were covered in feces and urine, according to police.
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"It's difficult to see," Daryl Masone with Poodle Rescue Connecticut said. "I can tell they were cared for, but not to the conditions or standards most people would be happy with."
Masone is taking in four of the 37 dogs. She believes the dogs are between two and five years old.
She and groomer Allyson Eliason say the dogs' biggest needs appear to be around socialization.
"They have that fear. They don't know what's gonna happen," Eliason with Beauty in the Beast said.
But they also have grooming needs. Eliason said the severe matting and long hair indicates they've never been to a professional groomer.
"They were pretty matted. One of them, the tail was so matted I had to slide my scissor down the tail to cut the matt open to shave it off," Eliason said.
The investigation took months and several police agencies assisted. The dogs have since been taken to nearby shelters in Meriden, North Haven, East Haven and New London.
Police say they next step is a search warrant so temporary custody of the dogs can be obtained.
