Trigger warning - horrific story about a Dog rescue facility in Essex

[BodenCardiganNot]

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/essex-dog-deaths-police-billericay-animal-shelter-b2750946.html

Are these facilities licenced? Can anyone set one up?

The remains of around 37 dead dogs have been found after a police raid on an Essex shelter.

One neighbour told The Independent: “Two of the dog owners turned up to see if their pets had survived. They were in pieces. It smells like death in there - it’s horrific beyond comprehension. The live ones were in kennels. The dead ones I’m not so sure.

Shannon Jade drove from Bedfordshire to check on the welfare of her pet Chance who was sadly not pulled from the shelter alive.

Was it kennels (like when you go on holiday) or a shelter - where dogs are abandoned?

The police are looking for the last known owners - it sounds like a shelter/rescue?

@AndorTheRelentless the articles I read made it sound like a bit of both (they took pets from people who couldn’t afford them…but then people might be able to get them back),

A reminder, to everyone, that when you’re giving up a pet or looking for care for your pet, to do your due diligence - reading the guys biography, via Facebook, reads like absolute nonsense. Just so many red flags. There’s been far too many stories like this recently, and it’s heartbreaking

That's what I don't get. They're calling it a rescue, so why was her dog there? Presumably she gave it up in good faith I suppose? But it confuses matters by her referring to 'her dog'.

Apparently this guy charged people to take in dogs with behavioural issues and rehome them. However, he didn’t. 37 dead dogs and a further 20 so far found in a freezer at a nearby travellers camp. There are many mentions to a link to dog fighting rings. Absolutely abhorrent, despicable people.

Jesus, that’s like something out of a horror film.

Cruel, sadistic fuckers.

Jesus, that’s like something out of a horror film.

Cruel, sadistic fuckers.

Jesus, that’s like something out of a horror film.

Cruel, sadistic fuckers.

Jesus, that’s like something out of a horror film.

Cruel, sadistic fuckers.

Jesus, that’s like something out of a horror film.

Cruel, sadistic fuckers.

Jesus, that’s like something out of a horror film.

Cruel, sadistic fuckers.

Jesus, that’s like something out of a horror film.

Cruel, sadistic fuckers.

Horrific.

I know. Online there has been a very viral campaign for this “ rescue” to be checked for quite some time. It just makes me want to be physically sick to think of the poor dogs and their fates.

He claimed to be a family-run rescue and said he had qualifications as a behaviourist. He took in dogs whose owners couldn't look after them any more, particularly those with behavioural problems that the owners were struggling to manage. He promised to rehabilitate these dogs and rehome them with loving families, assuring their original owners that there would be regular photos and updates, but in most cases nothing was heard of these dogs again.

His "rescue" had been reported to the authorities on many occasions by concerned neighbours and former owners wondering what had happened to their pets, but to no avail.

In the last week or so, prompted by the terrible smell coming from the property, a neighbour sent a drone up and submitted the resulting footage to the police. This is what led to the raid on the premises.