A suburban man is facing animal cruelty charges after more than 70 dogs were rescued from his home this week where they were living in crowded and filthy conditions.
Several agencies, including Lemont police, Cook County Animal Control, the Cook County Sheriff’s Police Animal Cruelty Unit and numerous other animal control departments, worked together to remove the 76 dogs after they were found to be living in unsafe conditions at a home owned by 58-year-old Andrew Malak on the 800 block of McCarthy Road in Lemont, authorities said.
They were removed from the property, where authorities said they were living both inside the home and in a garage, while police executed a search warrant related to a Firearms Restraining Order, authorities said. Three firearms were also recovered.
Malak was arrested and charged with several counts of animal cruelty and felony weapons charges, according to police.
Photos from inside the home provided to NBC Chicago by local animal rescue Ruby Whiskers shows dirt covering the floors and walls and debris scattered around. Several filthy plastic bins line one of the walls and appear to have been used as make-shift dog beds.
Kim Arius, who owns the rescue that is one of several taking the dogs in, said her eyes and throat started burning from the stench inside the home.
“I had no idea there were that many, I was thinking twenty or thirty. They were spread out everywhere, inside the garage, the yard, the bushes, they were everywhere,” Arius said.
Ruby Whiskers took in three of the dogs, one of them likely pregnant.
Another local rescue, Many Paws Global Rescue, shared a fundraiser on social media in a plea for help rehousing and rehabilitating the dogs.
“I’m asking our community to come together for dogs who desperately need our help. Last night, our rescue received a call asking us to help save dogs from a heartbreaking hoarding situation in Lemont, Illinois,” the rescue said in the post. “These dogs have a long road ahead of them. They will need medical evaluations, veterinary treatment, rehabilitation, and lots of love and patience to help them heal and begin a new chapter in their lives.”
The rescue said its committed to saving as many dogs as possible but rescuing them is “only the beginning.”
“Getting them healthy, helping them recover, and preparing them for loving forever homes will require significant financial resources,” the rescue said. “We already rescued some dogs from this horrendous situation. The dogs will be released in waves, and we are waiting for the next group to be identified so we can determine how many more dogs we can take in and help.”
