What an empty puppy mill looks like

Let’s just get right to the point:

This is where the rusty cages used to be, stacked two high, with about three dogs in each cage. In just a few days, the dogs’ lives have changed forever. This empty room represents freedom for the dogs who used to face living all their days, weeks, months and years here.

The Humane Society of Richland County did an impressive job leading this emergency response, diverting resources from their own shelter to ensure that operations at the emergency shelter ran smoothly. In a situation like this, especially given that we were sheltering on-site, it was essential that the animals are moved out as quickly as possible. Given that many of the dogs are ill or injured and will need rehabilitation before they can be adopted, the best option for the animals was to transfer them to groups who could handle their special needs and take the time needed to find each of them the right home. The Humane Society of the United States played a key role on the ground and remotely to coordinate lightning-fast placement of the dogs into approved rescue groups, and together with PetSmart Charities, they are helping to fund the dogs’ ongoing veterinary care to mitigate the burden on the receiving organizations.

Please visit the websites below of the organizations who received these dogs. Please consider adopting any of the animals they have available, as they are all deserving of loving homes.