An animal shelter in Oklahoma City is officially full after taking in more than 500 animals rescued from a property during a drug investigation.
Police carried out a search warrant at a home near Southeast 15th Street and High Avenue on June 25, after receiving a tip about suspected drug trafficking.
While searching the property, officers found an overwhelming number of animals living inside the house as well as in outdoor pens, sheds, and stalls.
The city’s Animal Welfare team was then called in to help with the rescue effort.
By the time the operation ended, officials had removed 523 animals from the property. The group included about 470 birds, 49 dogs, several cats, and one horse.
City officials said the final number kept increasing as some of the outdoor animals had wandered into nearby wooded areas before they could be captured.
Rescue crews returned to the property multiple times and continued to find additional animals.
Every animal was taken from the property due to the horrid living conditions. In total, four people were arrested.
The massive rescue has put significant pressure on the Oklahoma City Animal Shelter, forcing it to temporarily pause new intakes while staff focus on caring for the newly rescued animals.
According to the shelter’s superintendent, Johny Sandoval, the case is likely the largest animal seizure the city has ever handled.
Staff are encouraging people to adopt from the shelter to make more room for the rescued animals.
The rescue happened just one day after the shelter warned it was already running out of space due to having rescued a large number of medium and large-breed dogs.
City officials said the temporary intake pause is meant to give staff time to safely manage the large number of animals.
While new animal intakes are on hold for now, the shelter is still open for adoptions.
Officials are also working with rescue groups and other partners to place many of the seized animals.
City leaders are asking community members to consider fostering or adopting.
In addition to the animals, police also found around 30 pounds of meth inside the property.
Four people were charged with aggravated trafficking of illegal drugs, including Luis Ricardo Gaytan, Martin Banda Sierra, Efren Valdez-Medina, and Ail Jaset Lopez.
