A police raid tied to a drug investigation in Oklahoma City led to a different kind of emergency: More than 500 animals suddenly needed care, shelter, and, in many cases, new homes. Now, the city's animal shelter is asking residents to step in as it handles what officials told The Oklahoman could be a record animal seizure for the city.
What happened?
Near Southeast 15th Street and High Avenue, a search of a home on June 25 ended with four arrests and the removal of a large number of animals, according to The Oklahoman. The following day, none of the four had been charged in Oklahoma County District Court.
Other local outlets reported that about 30 pounds of methamphetamine were found during the search, but The Oklahoman said that police had not confirmed that detail.
Authorities released few details about the investigation, which was ongoing.
Brock Rowe, Oklahoma City's development services director, said that animal welfare officers took in about 470 birds, roughly 49 dogs, some cats, and a horse.
"We kept discovering more animals," he said, per The Oklahoman. "Some of them, when we first got there, there was a lot of outdoor animals that kind of ran off into the woods ... so we had to come back and get those. We just kept looking and we found more animals."
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Why does it matter?
A seizure of this size can immediately strain shelter space, staffing, and medical resources. This case could affect pets already in the shelter system waiting for adoption.
Before the seizure, Oklahoma City Animal Welfare had warned that it was nearing capacity, especially for medium and large dogs, per The Oklahoman.
Families looking to surrender or adopt pets can also feel those effects quickly.
What's being done?
The Oklahoma City Animal Shelter had a program wherein adopters could "choose their own dog adoption fee" through Friday. Dogs are microchipped, spayed or neutered, dewormed, and up to date on their vaccinations, according to a news release.
In the meantime, officials said the city is contacting partners and stakeholders as it looks for places to house some of the seized animals. Investigators are also considering filing animal cruelty charges against the owners of the seized animals.
"We initially reported that the animals were in fairly good health," Animal Welfare Superintendent Johny Sandoval said in a Wednesday update. "As the seizure progressed, it became clear that many of the animals had health concerns. Staff is doing everything possible for the best outcome for these animals."
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