  More than 1,000 dogs like this one, once deprived of the most basic need for socialization, love and attention, now have hope for a better future after being removed from a massive breeding operation in West Virginia.
Photo courtesy HSUS. |
PARKERSBURG, W. Va. (AUGUST 24, 2008) – Today volunteers with United Animal Nations’ Emergency Animal Rescue Service (EARS) began arriving in Parkersburg, West Virginia from as far away as Florida, Louisiana, eastern Maryland and Illinois to help care for 1,000 dogs surrendered by the owner of a massive breeding operation yesterday.
United Animal Nations (UAN) is working with the Humane Society of Parkersburg, The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), Best Friends Animal Society and the Humane Society of Missouri to remove the dogs from the property and care for them at a temporary shelter until they can be taken in by humane organizations around the region and put up for adoption.
“UAN and its EARS volunteers specialize in providing tender-loving care for animals in temporary, emergency shelters,” said EARS Regional Director Marcel Marcotte of Nova Scotia, Canada, who is leading the EARS volunteer team. “We are glad we can support the local authorities and other humane organizations in this effort to give these dogs, who have lived most of their lives in cages with little human contact or affection, a second chance at life.”
 EARS Eastern Canada Regional Director Marcel Marcotte led a team of EARS volunteers in caring for 1,000 dogs rescued from a puppy mill in Parkersburg West Virginia. Photo courtesy HSUS.
 |
Members of the Wood County Sheriff’s department and County Prosecuting Attorney Ginny Conley had received complaints that the property owner was discharging pollution without a permit. When they arrived on the scene to investigate these claims on August 23, they found a grossly overrun breeding facility wrought with obvious animal neglect. Once on the scene local authorities were able to convince the property owner to surrender ownership of all 1,000 dogs.
The dogs are predominately dachshunds, but many Yorkies, King Charles Cavaliers and Poodles were also bred at the facility. All of the dogs were housed in dilapidated sheds spread throughout the rural property – some without access to fresh water. These dogs, like all animals bred in puppy mills, lacked proper veterinary care or even basic socialization.
UAN will deploy its trained EARS volunteers to the temporary shelter for at least a week to care for the dogs until they are ready to be put up for adoption locally or transferred to other shelters.
With more than 4,000 trained volunteers in the United States and Canada, UAN can deploy its Emergency Animal Rescue Service when communities become overburdened by a crisis involving large numbers of animals. In June, UAN deployed nearly 100 EARS volunteers to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to help HSUS and the local animal control agency care for more than 1,000 dogs, cats and other animals displaced by severe flooding.
To support UAN’s work in West Virginia, please make a donation to our Disaster Relief Fund.
Founded in 1987, United Animal Nations (UAN) is the nation’s leading provider of emergency animal sheltering and disaster relief services and a key advocate for the critical needs of animals.
###
