RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — More than 50 animals were rescued from “desperate hoarding conditions” at a trailer in La Vergne Sunday.

Animal Rescue Corps (ARC), an animal protection nonprofit, removed 48 dogs and 5 cats after receiving a call for assistance from the SPCA of Tennessee, according to a release.

When ARC agents arrived, they reportedly found two large dogs chained in the yard, three small dogs in a shed, four small dogs kept outdoors in a raccoon trap and 39 living in small feces-filled crates and running loose inside the home.

One of the many feces-filled small wire cages had 10 small dogs crammed inside it, according to ARC. A senior dog named Button was found living alone inside a small and dirty cat carrier.

ARC reported due to the lack of veterinary care and the unsanitary, inhumane living conditions, the animals are suffering from a range of medical issues, including high ammonia exposure, severe and painful dental disease, hernias, mammary tumors, overgrown nails, fur loss, skin inflammation, ear and eye infections and injuries, and internal and external parasites (including worms and fleas).

The rescued dogs also show signs of severe overcrowding as before help arrived at the property, a dead dog had been killed by her cage-mates inside one of the cages.

“I’m so glad we were able to respond so quickly,” said Tim Woodward, ARC’s Executive Director. “These animals were in desperate need and couldn’t wait another day.”

Planning for the rescue, dubbed Operation Daylight Save, began Saturday when the SPCA of Tennessee reached out to ARC for assistance after visiting the property. ARC immediately began assembling tactical equipment and a field team and preparing their facility for the incoming animals. Animal Rescue Corps managed the safe extraction of every animal.

All of the animals have been taken to ARC’s Rescue Center in Gallatin. Each animal is receiving a thorough veterinary exam, appropriate vaccinations, and any necessary medical treatments until they are matched and transported to trusted shelter and rescue partner organizations that will ultimately adopt them into loving homes.

“It’s just one of those sad situations where people don’t mean to be cruel, but their actions are causing tremendous suffering,” explained Woodward.

“Most of the time, we’re not very sympathetic to the people causing the problem. In this case, I had a lot of compassion for the elderly residents of this house. They’ve obviously faced a lot of health issues in a number of ways and I feel like they did not intend to hurt these animals and truly wanted the best for them but had no idea how to do that.”

To donate or help these and other animals, click here.