Woman Faces 30 Felony Charges After Officials Find 30 Neglected Dogs Living in Squalor at ‘Rescue’

Whatcom County, Washington – A “rescuer” is facing 30 felony counts of animal cruelty following the seizure of 30 neglected dogs from property in Whatcom County this week. According to the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, the dogs were being housed by Pittie Project PNW at a property in the 200 block of Russet Avenue, unincorporated Whatcom County. Pittie Project PNW was founded and is led by 38-year-old Ashley Georgia of Bellingham.

The dismal condition of the dogs led to Georgia facing 30 Class C felonies for causing substantial pain or physical injury to animals and/or criminally negligently starving, dehydrating, suffocating or exposing animals to extreme conditions.

Detectives who responded to the property noted “extremely poor condition, living in unsanitary environments, with no apparent access to adequate food or water.”

Injuries and conditions visually observed by investigators included, but were not limited to:
• Open wounds on dogs’ bodies, legs, and tails
• Evidence of worms in feces
• Matted and discolored fur consistent with prolonged exposure to feces and urine
• Significantly underweight, with ribs, hips, and leg bones visible
• Strong foul odors throughout the living areas where the dogs were housed.

In a public release, the authorities said:

Investigators also learned that various volunteers had previously removed 13 additional dogs from the property after discovering the animals’ condition. Information gathered during the investigation indicated that Ashley Georgia had received donated dog food and thousands of dollars in financial contributions intended to support the animals’ care.

Dogs rescued from the property have been taken in by the Whatcom Humane Society. The influx of dogs resulted in a temporary closure of the facility. The animal welfare organization said:

Due to a large-scale animal seizure that our shelter received this week, our kennels are closed on Wednesday, October 7th to allow our animal care team to catch up and provide critical care for the animals received from this case. Our adoption kennels will re-open Thursday, October 8th at 11am.

The city of Desert Hot Springs, which had partnered with Pittie Project PNW, announced a suspension of the partnership. City officials said, “The city of Desert Hot Springs has been informed of serious allegations of animal abuse and neglect at Pittie Project PNW, one of its partner rescue organizations located in Washington state.”