Colorado Shelter Flooded With Hundreds Of Animals After Shocking Hoarding Discoveries
Some weeks at animal shelters are quiet. Calm. Routine. And then, there are weeks that turn everything upside down.
For the team at Riverdale Animal Shelter in Brighton, Colorado, the last six weeks have been a whirlwind they’ll never forget.
Usually, the shelter cares for around 400 animals over the summer. But lately, that number has more than doubled.
One heartbreaking hoarding case after another has poured hundreds of frightened animals through their doors, leaving staff exhausted but determined.
Take one Wednesday, for example. Over 100 animals were rescued from a single Adams County property.
Imagine cages stacked high, little faces peeking out nervously, a mix of cats, dogs, sugar gliders, hedgehogs, rats, and even snakes, all hoping for someone to notice them.
Sergeant Shea Haney of the Adams County Sheriff’s Office shared in an interview:
“Upon execution of the search warrant, they seized about 101 animals from the property. Sugar gliders, some rats, a hedgehog, snakes.”
And that was just one rescue. In the past two months, Riverdale has responded to five large-scale cases.
Usually, by the end of summer, they’d have about 375 animals. Now? Over 540 are under their care. Haney added:
“It’s not common. It’s not common at all.”
Every paw, every whisker, every tail represents an animal needing food, warmth, and love. And somehow, the Riverdale team keeps saying yes.
They haven’t done it alone. The local community has stepped up in amazing ways.
Fosters, adopters, donors… people have shown up to give these animals the second chance they desperately need.
Marion Lorenzo, a longtime foster mom, has welcomed over 50 animals into her home in the past two years.
Saying goodbye is never easy, but she knows the impact it has: a warm bed, a safe home, a chance at love. She said:
“When I have to surrender them, I pray over them, and I tell them, ‘You’re going on to your forever home.’”
Then there are adopters like Evelyn Fisher, who dropped by in search of a cat she’s been dreaming of for months, sharing:
“I’ve been wanting a kitty so bad for a couple months now. I think it’s a great place to go to, especially since so many animals have been coming in with all the hoarding and everything.”
Donations have been pouring in too: food, blankets, toys, little things that make a huge difference when hundreds of mouths need to be fed and hearts need healing.
It’s exhausting. Emotional. Overwhelming. But it’s also inspiring. Every rescue reminds them why they do this work.
If you’ve ever thought about adopting, fostering, or even just donating a bag of food, now’s the time.
Riverdale Animal Shelter could use a little help keeping up with all the love they’re giving out. Lorenzo added:
“It’s important to foster and also to adopt. They want a good home. They want somebody to love them and take care of them.”
Every kind act, big or small, helps these animals start a brand new chapter, one filled with hope, comfort, and love. Watch the full story here.
