A total of 36 Chihuahuas were seized from two separate Santa Cruz, California homes in a bizarre case of animal hoarding.

Police received a phone call from the landlord of an apartment building in Santa Cruz where one group of the dogs was found. The landlord knew about the Chihuahuas and was worried that no one was taking care of them so he called the authorities.

Police then issued a warrant for a house in Santa Cruz, believed to be owned by relatives of the people living in the apartment, where another group of Chihuahuas were found and seized.

The Chihuahuas ranged in age, the youngest being only a few weeks old. Currently the seized Chihuahuas are being taken care of at the Santa Cruz Animal Shelter. They will stay there and receive any medical treatment they may need, they will then move on to foster homes and hopefully be adopted into loving homes that can properly care for the dogs.

The Chihuahua is a small breed dog named for a state in Mexico. They come in a variety of colors like black, white, tan, spotted and fawn. A healthy Chihuahua should not weigh more than 6 pounds.

The Chihuahua is a popular breed among celebrities like Paris Hilton, Madonna, Brittney Spears and Jennifer Love Hewitt.

The investigation into the animal hoarding case is still ongoing. The owners of the dogs, whose names are unknown, could be charged with animal neglect.

According to The Inquisitr animal neglect is a misdemeanor in California and could come with a 1-year jail sentence and a $20,000 fine.