The terrified faces of puppies who have never seen the outside world: Rescuers in hazmat suits pull out 276 DOGS from hoarder home covered in urine and fleas 

  • The Howell, New Jersey home was in 'deplorable' condition, officials said
  • Dogs were found living on shelves, under the bed and between walls 
  • Officials had to wear masks as they pulled out 'fearful' pups from the home 
  • Owners Charlene and Joseph Hendricks will likely face charges  

Rotting floors, flies and fleas permeated the New Jersey hoarder home where 276 dogs were rescued by workers in hazmat suits. 

Pugs, chihuahuas and Yorkshire terriers could be seen shaking in fear as they were exposed to the outside world for the first time in their lives. 

The dogs were found on the shelves, living under beds and even between the walls of the Charlene and Joseph Hendricks' home in Howell. 

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This is the hoarder home in Howell, New Jersey were 276 dogs were rescued from on Friday 

This is the hoarder home in Howell, New Jersey were 276 dogs were rescued from on Friday 

The dogs were shaking in fear as they were exposed to the outside world for the first time in their lives
Most of the dogs were in 'fair' condition, but they were 'fearful' and 'undersocialized' as they hadn't been exposed to many humans

The dogs were shaking in fear as they were exposed to the outside world for the first time in their lives

Officials said the house was in 'deplorable' condition and called it the worst hoarding case they had ever seen in the history of Monmouth County

Officials said the house was in 'deplorable' condition and called it the worst hoarding case they had ever seen in the history of Monmouth County

Officials said the house was in 'deplorable' condition and called it the worst hoarding case they had ever seen in the history of Monmouth County.

The floors were covered in urine and feces and a stench filled the air, so bad that even neighbors had complained in the past. 

But authorities did not become involved until an official from the Associated Humane Society came by the neighborhood after a dog on the loose was reported on Thursday.

When the official came across the Hendricks' home he could smell the stench and hear dogs barking inside. 

After no one answered the door, the official contacted the Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, according to NBC New York

Charlene and Joseph Hendricks (pictured sitting down) will likely face charges for failing to provide veterinary care and offering inhumane living conditions
One rescuer said Charlene was in tears as she watched her dogs get taken away, calling them 'my family

Charlene and Joseph Hendricks (pictured sitting down in the left photograph) will likely face charges for failing to provide veterinary care and offering inhumane living conditions

Eighty dogs were vaccinated at the scene before authorities ran out of supplies

Eighty dogs were vaccinated at the scene before authorities ran out of supplies

The dogs were found on the shelves, living under beds and even between the walls of the home 

The dogs were found on the shelves, living under beds and even between the walls of the home 

Officials began pulling out dogs from the home the very next morning, including one that was in the middle of giving birth and 20 other dogs who were visibly pregnant. 

Joseph and Charlene Hendricks will likely face charges for failing to provide veterinary care and offering inhumane living conditions. 

The charges could have been more serious if dead of extremely malnourished dogs had been discovered in the home, according to Ashbury Park Press

But Ross Licitra, chief law enforcement officer of the SPCA, said most of the dogs were in 'fair' condition and no dead dogs were found. 

The dogs were 'undersocialized' and 'fearful', as they had been exposed to few people, and some received oxygen at the scene or were transported to emergency veterinary care. 

Eighty dogs were also vaccinated at the scene before authorities ran out of supplies. 

One rescuer said Charlene was in tears as she watched her dogs get taken away, calling them 'my family'. 

'We're not bad people,' Joseph told the paper. 

'It's more than you think', Charlene added, without explanation. 

One neighbor said she had not seen Charlene outside of the home in five years. 

The couple, who are cooperating with authorities, said they had started three years ago with eight dogs, and the numbers just grew and grew as the dogs had more and more pups.   

The couple, who are cooperating with authorities, said they had started three years ago with eight dogs

The couple, who are cooperating with authorities, said they had started three years ago with eight dogs

Dog urine and feces covered the home's floors, creating a stench so bad the neighbors would complain 

Dog urine and feces covered the home's floors, creating a stench so bad the neighbors would complain 

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