JACKSONVILLE, Fla — The images can be heartbreaking -- malnourished dogs living in unsanitary conditions.
Seventy dogs were taken from a home in Union County, Florida last week.
With the help from Guardians of Rescue Georgia, deputies say many of the dogs showed signs of neglect. Some had untreated medical issues that caused them to lose a leg.
"It's so out of control," Channing Oglesby said. "Animals start getting sick living in their own feces."
Oglesby is the coordinator for Fur Sisters Rescue, a First Coast non-profit that takes in abandoned and abused dogs. She says hoarding cases are becoming too frequent, she's even given it a name.
"It starts out with the best of intentions and sometimes I refer to it as 'love gone wrong,'" she told First Coast News.
In many situations, Oglesby says hoarding starts to become a problem when there is no more living space in the home. Animals are moved outside or stacked on top of each other and then the upkeep is too much for the owner physically and financially.
"They sometimes don't know their boundaries," Oglesby said. "They get overwhelmed."
She urges neighbors to be observant of one another – if you notice something out of the ordinary, don't hesitate to call authorities.