On March 2, the ASPCA rescued 16 Chihuahua/ Yorkshire Terrier-mixes from the home of an overwhelmed caregiver in the Bronx, New York.

What began as three dogs in the home quickly multiplied as none of the animals were spayed or neutered. Most of the nearly twenty dogs—ranging from three months to five years in age—had been born in the apartment and had rarely, if ever, been outside.

As our responders approached the residence, they heard high-pitched barking from down the stairs; one dog had even gone hoarse from continuous barking.

The dogs were confined to a small apartment, and often barked at and bit each other. They were extremely fearful, with many of them trembling, clinging to our responders, and in some cases, drooling or soiling themselves out of fear.

Our responders found two dogs cowering under a bed, one with bite wounds on his ears. Because of the strong bond these two dogs shared with each other, efforts will be made to keep them together during their recovery and when the time comes for them to be made available to go to a new home.

The 16 dogs are now in the care of the ASPCA, and are being groomed and medically evaluated while they settle into their new surroundings.

While in our care, they will undergo behavioral rehabilitation to help them begin to feel more comfortable with a variety of real-life situations like walking on a leash, being handled, and meeting new people.

For these dogs, so much of what they will experience in the coming weeks may be brand new. Their paws may have never touched grass. They may have never smelled fresh air or felt a breeze. They may have never felt warm sun. Our behavior team is working daily to introduce these dogs to life outside the four walls they had been confined to. Thanks to our supporters, these innocent animals will have a chance to experience the world.

Your support helps animals like these get second chances at happy lives. Please give now to help us reach more animals in need.