FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- The break-in happened overnight after someone broke the glass of the adoption center to steal cash and other items. Right now, shelter officials are trying to nurse more than 140 animals back to health.
Surveillance video showed a suspect walk into the lobby of the Central California SPCA's adoption center stealing money and a candy machine. The suspect not only got away with cash meant to help the animals there but left some damage behind.
"We need all the donations we can, all the money, so that way we can apply it to the animals and not to fix our building (from damage) like someone did last night," said Walter Savari, CCSPCA.
Savari said the crime directly affects the animals at the shelter including the more than 140 dogs and cats that officials said were neglected. The animals were brought to the facility this week after a search warrant at Noah's Friends No-Kill Animals Shelter. Officials said a majority of the dogs were starving, many had no food or water. Two pit bull mixes are being treated for a skin condition and many others have other medical issues.
"A lot of them are coming back positive with tick born diseases and intestinal parasites. So that can be anywhere from three weeks to months of treatment depending on the malnourishment and neglect some of the animals had," said Savari.
Officials are thankful the thousands of dollars it's going to cost to treat the animals has been paid for by Club One Casino owner Kyle Kirkland. They're hoping more people from the community step up to help. Last night one of the dogs gave birth to seven healthy puppies and two more are pregnant.
While officials are condemning the conditions at Noah's Friends Animal Shelter in Orange Cove, the owner's friend and a long-time customer got emotional defending her.
"I would absolutely say that there's not one ounce of cruelty in her heart, and if anything her age and an illness in the family has got her to where she's overwhelmed by the number of dogs," said Laurie Aldrich, adopted dogs from Noah's Friends Animal Shelter.
Aldrich adopted two of her dogs from Noah's Friends. Though she said she hasn't seen the shelter in quite some time, she said the 70-year-old owner sacrificed a lot to care for the many dogs that were continuously dropped off at her no-kill shelter.
"If anything Kay's gotten overwhelmed. She did ask for help and I don't think she got enough. And it's tragic for her because she gave her life for this."
The CCSPCA actually brought in 10 volunteers and three more paid employees to help them handle all of the animals here. They're still asking for donations like food and newspapers.