Mikaela's Mutt Motel took in 34 dogs from a hoarding case in Lyles, Tennessee. The Clarksville rescue now needs foster homes, supplies and adopters for them.

Mikaela’s Mutt Motel, a foster-based dog rescue in Clarksville, has taken in all 34 dogs from an extreme hoarding case in Lyles, Tennessee, and is now asking local people to foster, give supplies and adopt.

“These dogs were in horrible conditions,” the rescue told the Clarksville Journal. “We took in all 34 and are desperate for fosters and supplies but want to get the word about these dogs out so maybe we can find some adopters too!”

Not every dog on the property survived. The rescue said some had already died when its team arrived.

Overview

  • What happened: Mikaela’s Mutt Motel took 34 dogs from a hoarding case in Lyles, in Hickman County, in October.
  • Where they are now: in foster homes with the rescue’s team, receiving medical treatment and gaining weight.
  • What the rescue needs: foster homes, supplies and, once the dogs are ready, adopters.
  • How to help: apply to foster or adopt, or arrange a supply drop-off through the rescue’s donate page.

How the rescue began

The rescue’s founder and president, Mikaela Lambert, heard about the case in October through a contact at the Hickman Humane Society, she told The Dodo, which featured the rescue on Oct. 28. Humane society staff had counted at least 20 dogs in and around a dilapidated home, some peeking out of its open windows.

Two black dogs look out of an open upstairs window of a brick house, with trees around it and piled debris below
Dogs look out of an upstairs window of the house in Lyles. Photo: supplied by Mikaela's Mutt Motel

“We all worked tirelessly to contact rescues, organizations and volunteers,” Lambert told The Dodo. “The response that we received was truly incredible.”

The team drove nearly two hours to the property, where Hickman Humane Society staff and Hickman County officers were waiting. Rescuers found far more dogs than expected: some shut inside the house, others tied to outdoor pens, all of them thin. In all, 34 dogs came out, and every one went to a temporary home with the rescue’s team.

“These dogs had been surviving in an environment no animal should ever have to endure,” the rescue said in its first message to us, “and many are now beginning the long journey toward recovery, learning what it means to feel safe, loved, and cared for.”

34 names, and slow progress

Rescuers named every dog: Jughead, Bud, Opal, Bobbie, Panda, Spud, Patch, Dot, Daisy, Gator, James, Tip, Hippo, Finn, Ahsoka, Libby, Jasmine, Ember, Jasper, Ash, Smoker, Cinder, Houdini, Bandit, Raven, Kit, Taz, MayBell, Jersey, Phoenix, Iris, Roscoelette, Henry III and Jaxon.

All of them are now being treated by vets, gaining weight and learning to trust people again, according to the rescue.

“It is amazing to see them come out of their shells!” Lambert told The Dodo. “Some of them are even learning how to play with toys now! Most of them are shy with new people, but they are warming up quickly!”

Why 34 dogs at once is hard for a small rescue

Mikaela’s Mutt Motel has no shelter building. Its dogs live in volunteer foster homes until they are adopted, so every new dog needs a household willing to take it in.

“Taking in 34 dogs at once means providing veterinary care, vaccinations, necessary medical treatments, nutritious meals, and countless hours of patience and rehabilitation,” the rescue said. “For a foster-based rescue like ours, the challenges are significant, but so is our determination to give every one of these dogs the second chance they deserve.”

The rescue describes itself as woman- and veteran-run. Lambert served in the U.S. Army from 2015 for nearly eight years and fostered more than 100 dogs for other rescues during that time, according to the rescue’s board page. She opened Mikaela’s Mutt Motel on May 1, 2022, and the rescue says it has taken in and placed more than 300 dogs since then, many with medical or behavioral needs. It is a registered nonprofit, listed with the IRS at a Woodlawn post office box.

“Behind each of these 34 dogs is an individual story, a life worth saving, and the hope of a future that looks nothing like their past,” the rescue said. “We want our community to see what these animals have overcome, understand the challenges rescues face, and recognize the incredible difference that even one person can make.”

What it means for you

  • Foster: the dogs need homes to recover in before adoption. Applications are on the rescue’s foster page.
  • Adopt: the dogs will be listed for adoption once they are ready. The rescue’s adoption page shows dogs available now.
  • Give supplies: the rescue takes new and gently used supplies such as leashes, collars, crates, bowls and beds. To arrange a drop-off, email donations@mikaelasmuttmotel.org or call or text (931) 342-2526, the rescue’s donate page says.
  • Volunteer: the rescue has a volunteer application on its website.
  • Meet the team: the rescue’s events page lists a Barksgiving Bash at Pet Supplies Plus from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21, and Pints and Paws at Crossroads Tavern from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 28.

“With time, patience, love and understanding, these babies are going to be amazing family members for some lucky folks!” Lambert said.