TUSTIN, Calif. - A Shih Tzu may not be a dog you’d normally find at an animal shelter, but right now, there are over 100 of them at OC Animal Care. 

“It was a shock to the system at first, and when we kept hearing the reports of how many dogs, the number kept growing and we realized this would be an all-hands-on-deck emergency,” Mike Kaviani, OC Animal Care Director, said. 

As Kaviani holds one of the animals rescued, he's still a bit in shock, calling this situation unprecedented in Orange County.

Orange Police rescued about 140 Shih Tzu dogs a couple weeks ago from a million dollar home in Orange, many looking dirty, neglected and sick in an animal hoarding incident. The two owners of the home were issued misdemeanor animal cruelty citations. 

“We are an open intake animal shelter, we are at the mercy of all the animals in our jurisdiction, when this call came in we didn’t have a choice. We were full but duty calls,” Kaviani said. 

Now, with these dogs in addition to the 600 plus animals they already had, “Creative measures are in place. We house some dogs together, we are pushing dogs and cats to be fostered and to be adopted, we have a mom cat in my office,” Kaviani said. 

But he says the shelter urgently needs help. 

“We do not euthanize for time and space. When something like this occurs, it changes the whole game, we were already full,” he said. 

So the shelter put out a plea to the community. Even waving adoptions.

But here’s the thing – while the investigation is ongoing, these little rescues aren’t available yet. 

“I know everyone wants to adopt these dogs and hear us give all the details on how they’re doing. I’m so sorry we can't give that because it is an open case. They are safe and being loved and cared for. We do have hundreds and hundreds of other animals that can go home with you today,” he said. 

So go on by, and know you’ll be changing many animals’ lives in the process of adoption. 

OC Animal Care is located at 1630 Victory Road, Tustin, CA 92782.