80 dogs rescued from US home infested with 100,000 rats

At least one dog will need to have a paw amputated and experts claim it could take up to a month to clear the rat problem.

Rescued dog published on Facebook by the Owen County Humane Society shelter (Owen County Humane Society/Facebook)

Rescuers have found up to 80 dogs living in squalid conditions in a home infested with more than 100,000 rats.

Police were called to the property in Indiana after neighbours complained about rats spreading to their homes.

Officials found the house of Paul Purcell over-run with rats and as many as 80 dogs living in filthy conditions, most of them malnourished.

Animal shelter The Owen County Humane Society was asked by police to assist with the removal of the dogs from the home.

After a court order was obtained last Wednesday, 54 dogs were originally taken from the property in Owen County. A further 16 were removed on Thursday and several more were collected on Friday, all with the co-operation of Mr Purcell.

Among the dogs rescued were two mothers with puppies and five puppies without a mother.

According to the Humane Society, the dogs have problems with fleas, ticks and other skin conditions.

One dog was reported to have tumours on both front paws and the charity said the dog would probably need a partial amputation.

Owen County Sheriff Leonard Hobbs told WishTV.Com: “They were just living in filth. You see stuff like this on TV but when you’re first hand looking at it, it takes you back. It kind of takes your breath away a little bit.”

He said someone called his office to complain about rats on their property and when investigators responded they found the dogs.

Greg Parker of pest control company Inter Tec said there were at least 100,000 rats found on the property but this did not include those which had spread to neighbouring homes.

Speaking to WishTV.Com, Mr Parker said: “I would rather live in a cave.

“I mean it’s pretty much like a cave.”

He estimated it could take him up to a month to deal with the rat infestation.

The Owen County Humane Society has asked for urgent donations of bleach, paper towels, laundry detergent and soap to help and has called on other animal shelters to help house the dogs.

Turning to social media for assistance, the charity posted: “Today we made the news, and depending on how you look at it; is a good light or a bad light.

“We are choosing to focus on the good light; there are 70 animals that are alive that were living in some of the most deplorable conditions this group has ever seen.

“The amount of trash, rats and squalor is hard to imagine, even as you are seeing it, tasting it, and smelling it your brain cannot fully comprehend…

“Please if you can, we need donations of bleach, paper towels, laundry detergent and dawn dish soap.

We are very much in need of monetary donations that can be sent to the Owen County Humane Society.”