Overview
- Martin County deputies executed a search warrant on Monday and removed 36 Border Collies from a Palm City residence, taking 62-year-old Paige O'Donnell into custody.
- Investigators said the dogs and the house were found in filthy, unsafe conditions with animals matted and covered in feces and interior spaces soaked with waste.
- O'Donnell faces 72 charges—one felony and one misdemeanor for each dog—with bond set and a court order barring her from possessing animals during the case.
- All recovered dogs are at the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast receiving intensive exams, medical grooming and behavioral care, and the shelter has warned the recovery will be long and costly.
- Records show repeated calls and agency contacts since 2020, neighbors and local reporting prompted renewed surveillance, the county condemned the home, and lawmakers and breed groups are pressing for stronger oversight and more shelter resources.