Volunteers lend expertise in emergency animal sheltering to 170 dogs
PORTLAND, Maine (October 16) – United Animal Nations (UAN), a national animal protection organization, is sending 25 volunteers trained in emergency animal sheltering to help animal welfare officials in Portland, Maine care for 170 dogs who were seized from a Buxton, Maine “puppy mill,” a massive breeding operation, in August.
The volunteers with UAN’s Emergency Animal Rescue Service (EARS) program will walk, feed, comfort and care for the animals – many of whom were ill, poorly socialized or had untreated injuries – at a temporary facility in
“Our volunteers are ready to respond when animals are put at risk by a crisis, whether it is a natural disaster or a criminal case of irresponsible and unchecked breeding,” said UAN President and CEO Nicole Forsyth. “The local animal protection organizations have done an amazing job of caring for these animals so far, and we are happy to be able to provide some physical relief and share our expertise in emergency sheltering.”
The UAN volunteers join staff and volunteers from other national and local animal protection groups, including the Animal Welfare Society of Kennebunk; the Animal Welfare Program for the State of
“We are grateful that UAN is sending volunteers with so much expertise in shelter operations and animal handling to help weather this crisis,” said Steve Jacobsen of the Animal Welfare Society. “Their arrival is a welcome relief for the people who have been caring for these animals for the past fifty-six days.”
The owners of J’aime Kennel face 17 civil and criminal charges, including 14 civil charges alleging they ran a kennel without a license, two criminal counts of animal cruelty and one criminal count of failure to provide necessary medical treatment to animals, according to a written release from police.
With more than 3,500 EARS volunteers in the
Founded in 1987, United Animal Nations is
MEDIA CONTACT: Alexis Raymond, (916) 429-2457
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