It was the worst animal abuse case Suncoast Animal League has ever seen.
- Achilles, Helen, Lilly, Sequoya, Sissy have new homes
- Video was posted to Facebook in February | Watch
- Still no arrests in case of neglect
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Now, six weeks later, the rescue has announced five badly neglected Lhasa Apsos have been adopted into loving homes.
"The courage these dogs showed, their heart, is one of the things that got me more than anything else," said Rick Chaboudy, Executive Director of Suncoast Animal League.
More than 1 million people watched the video posted to Facebook in February, which showed the dogs in such bad shape, they were almost unrecognizable. After hours of grooming, the dogs were able to move again.
The rescue had to teach some of the dogs how to walk again. Chaboudy believes the dogs were likely left in cages for years.
Achilles, Helen, Lilly, Sequoya and Sissy all celebrated with their new adopters at an event over the weekend. There were plenty of people who applied to take the dogs home, but the rescue narrowed it down to which families would fit best with the dogs.
"I think as much as they've grown with us, they'll grow even further because they'll be in their own homes," Chaboudy said.
Kimberley Tutsch fell in love with one of the dogs, Lilly, at an event on St. Patrick's Day. She said it was love at first lick.
She took Lilly home for good on Sunday.
"I want her to get that attention, that comfort. She's going to be spoiled rotten, there's absolutely no doubt about that," Tutsch said.
As for the person who left the dogs in such horrible shape, authorities have not announced any arrests.