UPDATE (Tuesday, October 17): The first of what is being deemed the “Westmoreland 61” has found a new home after being seized from a Central New York home last week.

On Tuesday, October 17, nine-year-old Cooper, affectionately known as the “Mayor of Beagleville”, was the first to be adopted, by a couple in Baldwinsville in Onondaga County.

CNYSPCA CEO Troy Waffner has said the rest of the dogs are doing well and will be coming up for adoption as soon as they are spayed and neutered. He was also appreciative of the outpouring of support from the community in donations and well-wishes.

“The outpouring has been almost overwhelming,” Waffner commented. “With the help from the community these dogs all have very bright futures and will be living their lives going forward.”

Cooper and his new family. (Photo courtesy of the Central New York SPCA)

WESTMORELAND, N.Y. (WSYR-TV/WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) — The CNYSPCA is making a desperate plea for toys, blankets, towels, and bleach laundry detergent after taking in over 50 dogs from a hoarding house in Westmoreland.

A total of 61 dogs, mainly beagles and beagle/chihuahua mixes, were seized from a house in the town on Tuesday, Oct. 10, as part of an animal cruelty investigation.

According to the CNYSPCA, the dogs were kept inside in a gated part of the house and were not let out, leaving them in extremely unsanitary conditions.

“The conditions of the house were deplorable with the dogs going to the bathroom on the floors and furniture, the smell of ammonia was almost toxic and the poor things were never let outside or even had open windows,” said Troy Waffner, CEO of CNYSPCA.

The dogs ranged in age from a few days old to at least fourteen years old, and upon taking them in, Waffner said that they found six of the dogs were pregnant.

All of the 61 dogs are currently at the CNYSPCA and are being given medical exams and care, vaccinations, and will be spayed and neutered. Once they are healthy, all of the dogs will eventually be available for adoption.

Waffner said that it was unusual in the number of dogs seized, however, the organization says they “seize animals on a somewhat regular basis that are part of cruelty investigations.”

The CNYSPCA is accepting donations of bleach, laundry detergent, blankets, towels, toys, and wet food that can be dropped off at their facility at 5878 East Molloy Road in Syracuse. Directions to the facility can be accessed at the map below. People can also make monetary donations to cover the cost of the animal’s medical care.

“The sheer number of dogs is overwhelming but we are doing the intake process and the dogs will be housed in our kennels and from here on out they are going to be well cared for and well taken care of,” Waffner said. “Cases like this really make you take a step back but the silver lining is that we have got the dogs  here and we will get them into a family where they can live their best lives.”