ST. LOUIS (KTVI) — The Humane Society of Missouri (HSMO) recently rescued 43 hungry dogs and retrieved the bodies of nine dead dogs, all Shiba Inus of varying ages, from a property in Douglas County.

The dogs came from a property where the owner was a commercial breeder. Those still alive were found to be starving and suffering from various injuries and health issues, so they are currently receiving emergency medical care and health assessments.

The Douglas County sheriff issued an order to remove the dogs from the property and temporarily place them under the care of HSMO, leading to their rescue.

A formal custody hearing will be conducted at the Douglas County Court in Ava on Nov. 9.

HSMO’s Animal Cruelty Task Force (ACT) responded to the situation after the Douglas County Sheriff’s Department intervened. Shortly after, at least one of the dogs captured on Oct. 16 died, and ACT was able to recover its remains, along with those of eight other dogs.

An on-site veterinarian from the Missouri Department of Agriculture joined the ACT team to assess the dogs’ health before they were transported to HSMO offices.

At the Nov. 9 hearing, HSMO will seek custody of the dogs. Once in their custody, the dogs will be prepared for adoption after receiving a clean bill of health from the veterinarians and assessments from the animal behavior team.

You can visit the HSMO website to make a donation to support the care of these animals. HSMO is also asking for donations of blankets, newspapers, dog toys, dog beds, or any items that can facilitate the dogs’ recovery.

For updates on when these dogs will become available for adoption, please check the HSMO website at hsmo.org/adopt. There is currently no set date for their readiness to find forever homes.

If you encounter an animal in danger or suffering from neglect or abuse, please report it to the authorities or contact the Humane Society of Missouri’s Animal Cruelty Hotline at (314) 647-4400.