A hoarding situation in Thunder Bay led the North Reach Rescue Network — a nonprofit organization that helps find temporary foster homes for animals in need — to rescue 47 dogs living in terrible conditions all under one roof.

The dogs, all of which are small Maltese Shih Tzu, were found starving, in need of immediate medical attention and soaked in their own urine and feces, according to CTV News. 

The person who owned the home had recently died and a relative of the homeowner called the rescue team to come in and save the pups.

"Thanks to the quick response by our amazing volunteers we were able to facilitate the rescue of these precious lives," reads a North Reach Rescue Network Facebook post.

"These babies were in an unfortunate hoarding situation, and in less than 12 hours our volunteers were in the house, got the dogs out, brought them to HQ, assessed them for vetting, cuddled and snuggled them till it was time to go."

Several rescues immediately took the dogs into care, including two in Thunder Bay and many others in Toronto. 

"The stars aligned for the precious 47 as we were doing a transport that very evening with Toronto," they wrote.

Of the 47 dogs, 16 that required the most urgent medical attention were sent to the Toronto Humane Society while Finding Them Homes took 13, Dreamers took 10, Adopt a Mutt took two and Paws For Love offered to take six.

On Saturday, Toronto Humane Society, together with Rescue Foodie, brought in 16 of over 40 dogs found in one home.

With your assistance, we can continue to help these animals and more like them. https://t.co/br2BgyEo3V pic.twitter.com/F9JDxmpgp4

— Toronto Humane Soc. (@THS_tweet) February 14, 2020

"It only took 3 phone calls to find these dogs places to go," the network wrote. "Our network is amazing!!!"

There's currently very little info about the former owner of the dogs, though the investigation is ongoing and North Reach Rescue Network wants people to remember that the person was likely suffering from mental illness.

"We would like to thank the family for asking us for help, and remind everyone to check on their family and loved ones, as mental health is such a complex topic," they wrote on Facebook.

"We would like to also thank the community members who persistently tried to get help to this owner, whose own struggles made it hard to recognize that she needed support. In the end the dogs got out, and they’re off to their new lives."