b'The World Is ChangedBy Example, Not Opinion. by Anna Cookenever had any human contact to speakof,saidHoffman.Andlivingincramped quarters, on top of one anotherwas their normal.The shelter looked for adoption can-didates who had experience with social-ly-awkwarddogs. Someofthesedogswere not going to be good with children.And if the applicants had a dog, we askedthem to bring their dog in so we couldevaluatetheinteractionandoveralldynamics, said Hoffman.As heartbreaking as that first day was seeing those dogs in that condition, itwas also the most rewarding day Ive everhad in my career. To see how our staff andvolunteers jumped in to work with thedogs. When our day started, I thought tomyself, this is gonna be a really bad day.But, by the end of the day, Hoffmantold us, it was surreal to see the dogs afterthey had been shaved down and bathed.It was as if they had shed their oldlives. It turned out to be a day of relief.OnFriday, April3,asthestaffofthe dropping off the crates about 5 a.m. that Someone,whoevertheywere,hadtheHumaneSocietyofGreaterMiami morning and a car driving off. heart to bring those dogs to us. Uarrived to open the shelter, they encoun- Asbadasthiswastosee,inmyteredahorrificscene.Atotalof16 heart, I have to believe the people whoMaltese mix dogs had been left in front of dropped the dogs off knew they would bethe facility, sometime during the night. in a better place, said Hoffman.Theywerestuffed,oneontopofthe Some of the dogs were older, esti-other, in two crates.mated to be around 11 or 12 years old.Atthetime,LaurieHoffman, There were a couple of seven-month-oldExecutiveDirectoroftheHumane puppies. We can only speculate, but itSociety of Greater Miami said, All of the most likely was a hoarding situation thatdogs are very scared and we are doing our turned into an accidental breeding situa-best to calm them down, stabilize them tion that soon got out of control, saidand ensure they are provided all the med- Hoffman.ical care they need.As word went out to the media, theInourinterviewwithLaurie,she adoptionapplicationscamepouringin.told us it was the worst case she had ever The list was narrowed down with some Top, left: The 16 Maltese mix dogs, as they wereseen in her 11 years with the shelter. All prettydiscerningparametersandstrict found just outside the Humane Society of Greaterof the dogs were terribly matted. Even criteria for adopting one of the Sweet 16, Miami. Above: By the end of the day, the dogsthedogsthatdidnthavefecesmatted as they were dubbed by staff.had been shaved free of mats and bathed.into their fur were discolored from step- Thedogspersonalitieswereiffyping into and living in their own filth.whenwefirststartedexaminingand Humane Society of Greater MiamiOurveterinaryteamworkedthe working with them. You have to under- www.HumaneSocietyMiami.orgentire day with the dogs, said Hoffman.standthat,inadditiontobeingvery 305.749.1803Security cameras captured somebody frightened,thesedogsmostlikelyhadwww.TheNewBarker.com Summer/Fall ~ 2015 THE NEW BARKER 49'