Abandoned puppies found badly neglected in Detroit

The pictures are difficult to look at, half a dozen puppies in need of serious care.

They are so sick that all of their fur is gone, leaving them shivering in their hairless bodies. Detroit Animal Control could not care for them and now they're in the hands of Detroit Dog Rescue.

But these pup need your help too. Meet Charlotte, Wilbur, Piglet, Petunia, Pinky and Paisley. Six puppies  that are now in the caring hands of those at the Detroit Dog Rescue Friday.

"Unfortunately we don't know the exact whereabouts these dogs came from, but this is absolute neglect," said Kristina Rinaldi, the executive director of the Detroit Dog Rescue.

Rinaldi, who leads the no-kill shelter, says she got a call Wednesday night from Detroit Animal Control, letting them know that they weren't able to care for the 12-week-old pups.

"They came to us literally with no fur," Rinaldi said. "They have scabs, their skin is really hot to the touch."

Rinaldi says the puppies, which appear to be pit bull mixes and have extreme mange, secondary skin infections and internal parasites. It is one of the worst cases she's seen in her career.

"I have had another puppy that was completely bald," Rinaldi said. "But to see a whole family of puppies a whole litter of puppies completely bald and suffering, this has to go right up in the top 10."

Giving the puppies around the clock care including medicine and medicated baths, Rinaldi says their skin is so sensitive to the touch, they may have to wear baby onesies.

"This isn't something that's going to take a few days or a few weeks," Rinaldi said. "It is going to take months of time for these guys to heal."

Deciding to take in the entire litter, Rinaldi says caring for the puppies will cost the shelter between $6,000 and $8,000.  They will face a long road before they're ready to be adopted.

"This is something that went on way too long," Rinaldi said. "Someone either waited until these dogs were in horrible, horrible condition or the dogs were taken away."

But Rinaldi says, with the help of others she hopes to get each of these gentle pups healthy and into loving homes.

"The first thing is to get these little guys healthy," Rinaldi said. "It's heartbreaking, they're in excruciating pain."

If you would like to help CLICK HERE to donate.