GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – The Wisconsin Humane Society (WHS) Green Bay Campus helped remove 21 animals as part of a large-scale surrender situation on Wednesday morning.

According to a release, the WHS Green Bay Campus welcomed 21 animals (12 dogs and 9 cats) into their care.

Housed together in pens, the dogs all appear to be small breeds and are in need of extensive grooming, medical care, spay/neuter surgeries, and many also require behavioral support. Officials say that the cats are very fearful and extremely nervous around humans.

As their care plans are determined, WHS will be placing eligible animals into their foster program while others may stay at the shelter in preparation for adoption.

In the meantime, WHS Green Bay Campus is asking for contributions to help offset the costs of their food, veterinary expenses, surgical costs, grooming, medications, supplies, and care.

Officials also issued a reminder for those struggling to care for animals, stating “It’s important to reach out for help, especially with a high number of animals as conditions can quickly spiral out of control.

“It not only affects the animals but the owners, their families, and the community,” stated the Wisconsin Humane Society Green Bay Campus.

The Wisconsin Humane Society provided the following response:

1) Every hoarding situation is different in severity, but animal hoarding is a mental illness. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, hoarding is its own type of mental disorder, with animal hoarding as a subtype.

2) Where there is animal suffering, there is human suffering. We are deeply grateful to this owner for surrendering their animals to WHS, as both the animals and owner can get the support they need. For WHS, that is the most important outcome of such a situation – making sure all parties involved get the intervention and support they need.

3) We deeply value our relationships with clients, and never want anyone to be scared of coming forward if they know someone who is struggling to care for their animals. We work hard to ensure privacy, welcome inquiries, and refrain from judgment and bias with anyone who reaches out for information or support.

4) The Wisconsin Humane Society does not have the authority nor jurisdiction to investigate animal complaints or crimes. Only local law enforcement does and it’s at their discretion whether or not to pursue an investigation.

Angela Speed, Vice President of Marketing & Communications for the Wisconsin Humane Society 

For more information, including how you can help, click here.