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MCSO's MASH unit responds to tips of animal abuse, neglect nearly every week, detective says

A dog in an old jail cell at the Maricopa County Sheriff Office's Animal Safe Haven Unit
Maricopa County Sheriff Office
A dog in an old jail cell at the Maricopa County Sheriff Office's Animal Safe Haven Unit in Phoenix.

The Maricopa County Sheriff's MASH Unit is responding to a growing number of animal cruelty and neglect cases.

MASH stands for Maricopa Animal Safe Haven, and investigators say they recently rescued dozens of dogs from horrendous conditions at a Litchfield Park puppy mill.

Detective David Evans is a MASH unit investigator. He says they’re checking out tips in the community almost weekly.

“I want to say, [we’ve] taken in, since May, 250 dogs and cats at MASH. And I know MASH 2 is our facility where we house horses, pigs, equine, goats and all that kind of stuff," Evans said.

Maricopa County Sheriff Jerry Sheridan had campaigned on a promise that he would prioritize animal abuse cases.

More Arizona animal news

KJZZ senior field correspondent Kathy Ritchie has 20 years of experience reporting and writing stories for national and local media outlets — nearly a decade of it has been spent in public media.
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