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| ©The HSUS |
| This small, sad dog was rescued from the misery of a Texas puppy mill. |
By Sandy Grambort
We drove the three-and-a-half hours toward east Texas, our trailer full of crates, blankets and leashes. On Aug. 30, a call to our Southwest Regional Office informed us that the sheriff in the neighboring county had instructed a puppy mill breeder in Kilgore to relinquish her dogs or face charges of animal cruelty.
We were on our way to help.
More than 70 dogs, ranging from two-day-old Chihuahua puppies to adult Rottweilers, were living in squalor at a breeding facility in Kilgore, Tex. Local authorities called in to investigate found the animals living in a metal building with no air conditioning and little or no drinking water. Many of the dogs were also suffering from severe mange and matted fur.
"He bites," said a responder on the scene when we arrived.
She picked up a dog and gave us a brief description, relayed to us information she had gathered about who each pup was, who they were supposed to be related to, and whether they would be more likely to quick to snap at a kind hand or snuggle in a soft bed.
All of the dogs were in dire need of relocation.
Loaded One-by-One, Headed for Safety
We quickly tucked the dogs into clean, dry crates for the trip, including dirty and tired Bichon Frises and a family of three cheerful cockers with fist-sized balls of matted hair under their bellies and on their chests.
The pug-a-poos and schnoodles were next.
What should have been soft, silky coats on young dogs who have become the latest in the "designer dog" craze were instead foul-smelling, matted ringlets of hair that had never known a bath, brush or gentle grooming. The dogs, though, still had hope in their eyes, and we kept loading crates.
One little Bichon would not be caught. She wasn't frightened, though—she was just delighted to have someone to play tag with. She smelled like old dog manure, her coat soaked in it. But, her strong spirit shone through the grime. "Catch me!" she said, wagging her tail furiously.
A very tiny, 14-year-old Chihuahua (who we dubbed Daisy) also found a ride home with us.
"I think she's pregnant," the lady said. "Probably blind, too. She'll bite, but once you hold her, she's OK." Daisy never once complained. Her long toenails and filthy footpads told us more than we wanted to know.
An Australian cattle dog, a breed known for its intelligence and devotion to family, seemed lost as she watched the proceedings, her tail tentatively wagging. She too found a clean crate, and her name, Trina, was written on the paperwork.
Backed into a corner of one kennel with nearly 30 other dogs was a terrified Pembroke Welsh Corgi pup.
"That's Cubby," the rescuer said. "He's a bit aggressive. But we've let him in the house, and he appears nearly housebroke." She removed the collar from his neck, and he too went into a crate for the trip. The next time I glanced over at him, he seemed to be wearing a smile as he watched the kennels being loaded into the trailer.
Off to a Loving Home
We rushed one poor, sick Pekeapoo to a veterinary hospital. Affectionately named Scarlet, she was emaciated, suffering from heart failure and severe anemia caused by fleas. The veterinarian who cared for her said he had never seen a dog in such poor condition. Scarlet was too ill, as it turned out, for rehabilitation.
The Humane Society of North Texas is overseeing the care of 57 of these neglected animals. Many of them haven already been released to independent rescue organizations. All of the rescued dogs will be examined by a veterinarian, evaluated and placed for adoption appropriately.
"No animal deserves to be mistreated like this. It is our hope that every one of these dogs will find a loving home," said Jay Sabatucci, regional program manager for The HSUS Southwest Regional Office.
As we pulled away, we wondered how in the world these wonderful dogs—all of whom were desperate for love, kind words and comfort—could still believe that people were their friends. But in spite of what we do (and because of what we do), they still believe.
