Mississippi fishing crew stunned after rescuing 38 dogs found desperately paddling in deep lake

A group fishing trip in Mississippi resulted in three men rescuing 38 dogs abandoned in a deep lake.

Bob Gist, from Arkansas, and his friend Brad Carlisle, from Tennessee, met up in Memphis before heading down to Grenada Lake to fish, joined by local fishing guide Jordan Chrestman.

The trio spotted dozens of dogs , all struggling to stay afloat in the water, and on closer inspection, it became clear the dogs were equipped with expensive radio collars and marked with white paint, clearly in distress. The dogs were stranded at least half a mile offshore, treading water. They appeared lost and disoriented, unable to find their way back to shore.

READ MORE: Hundreds of migrants from ISIS epicenter crossed border amid terrorism warning

Jordan maneuvered the boat towards each dog, while Bob and Brad carefully hauled them aboard, one by one. On their first run, they managed to rescue 27 dogs, ferrying them safely to shore before heading back out to save another 11.

In total, the crew rescued 38 dogs. Bob later discovered the dogs were part of a fox hunt in Grenada that had gone wrong when the dogs chased a deer into the lake. None of the hunters had boats to save their dogs, leaving the dogs to fend for themselves.

Bob thought the dogs had been treading water for at least 45 minutes to an hour and believed they would have died if they were not rescued. Despite the owners' attempts to reward them with money, the fishing crew declined. Bob said he was just in the right place at the right time and channeled themselves into rescue mode.

Join the Mirror's SMS news service to get the biggest breaking stories delivered straight to your phone. Click here to subscribe.

It comes after an Arizona woman was arrested and charged with animal abuse after a social media campaign allegedly exposed her "doggy special needs clinic" as just a front.

Authorities confiscated dozens of pups after walking into a "horror house" of animal abuse, with police records stating that they found over a dozen dogs - many of whom were malnourished. April McLaughlin, 48, was charged with 55 counts of animal abuse, 55 counts of animal cruelty and one of vulnerable adult abuse, TMZ reported.

Officers who arrived at the scene said they were taken aback at the smell coming from the home, and had to request a backup hazards team to clear the area before they could begin to do their jobs.

Click here to follow the Mirror US on Google News to stay up to date with all the latest news, sport and entertainment stories.

Urine and "faeces caked the walls," court documents said. An industrial hygienist on the hazards squad found the air quality dangerous and told officials they must wear breathing masks when inside the home. “The majority of the 55 dogs around the home were in need of immediate medical attention due to the various injuries,” the court document said. “The majority of the dogs dragged themselves to get around or shook due to neurological issues.”