Over 30 “Abandoned and Malnourished” Dogs Rescued From an Animal Hospital

This weekend, police in St. Gabriel, Louisiana were contacted by two non-profits concerned about the conditions of pets at a local animal hospital. When they investigated, officers shared that they found over 30 “abandoned and malnourished dogs” living in filth — and, tragically, several more deceased pets discarded into trash cans and freezers.

Animal Protection and Welfare Society (APAWS) and Licking for Love, the two organizations that reported the operation to authorities, leapt into action to save the remaining pups. “It’s two a.m. We’re exhausted. We just got home,” Rebeckah Rutherford, the President and Director of APAWS shared on Facebook. “Decontamination showers and then I’m gonna hug my dogs and never let them go. I can’t even begin to describe the things I’ve seen over the last few days.”

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Volunteers found dogs overheating in neglected conditions, surrounded by filth. “You could literally feel the urine burning your eyes and burning your skin,” Courtney Turner, the director of Licking for Love, told WAFB. Another volunteer added that surgical instruments and schedule class drugs were lying in the open.

Many dogs had matted fur and open sores; others were malnourished with visible ribcages. Devastatingly, the remains of unidentified dogs were discovered inside a freezer, and several more were found in a trash can behind the hospital.

Dr. Gary Sod, the owner of St. Gabriel Animal Hospital, had seemingly left the animals to fend for themselves for long periods of time. “These guys have been relying on each other and have been very distrustful of humans,” Alex Dondeville, a volunteer who assisted with the rescue, told WAFB. “They haven’t had a constant figure to rely on.”

After hearing the news, locals on social media took to the comments to share stories of their pets receiving treatment from the hospital. Some shared that their pets had also been mistreated by Dr. Sod, while others stated that their pet received wonderful care at the hospital years ago. One commenter had a happy experience in 2015 when their dog needed ACL surgery, followed by a horrific one in 2022 that allegedly resulted in their sister’s pet being euthanized. “His license should have been revoked years ago and this situation has gotten way out of hand,” one user commented. “Unfortunately these innocent pups are the ones who suffered for it.”

APAWS shared that by January of this year, of all the hospital owner’s employees had left the practice. Licking for Love wrote that many of them left because they claimed the owner was not paying them. “They removed dogs they could and took care of them before leaving and warned anyone they could to not allow him to pull dogs,” the rescue shared. They added that the former employees “have been VITAL to these life saving operations … Many previous employees have all stepped up to foster even though they had no obligation to do so.”

An investigation is ongoing into the situation. “The St. Gabriel Police Department has launched a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding this incident,” the police department shared. “We are working closely with animal welfare partners and will provide updates to the community as more information becomes available.”

How you can help

Both APAWS and Licking for Love are in need of donations as they continue to support the rescued pets. All dogs are receiving medical care, including bloodwork, deworming, vaccinations, and spay/neuter surgeries; they’re also in need of food and grooming. You can donate at the links below to help these resilient pups.