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Thursday, dogs rescued in two different cruelty cases in Tennessee last week will begin to leave the Animal Rescue Corps (ARC) temporary shelter in Lebanon where they have been receiving care for the last week and will be on their way to approved placement partners in Tennessee, Kentucky, Maryland, Florida, Chicago, and Wisconsin. ARC's partners will continue medical treatments and behavioral rehabilitation and, when the animals are ready, they will be adopted into permanent, loving homes.
"The part we play in these dogs' lives is only the beginning," said Animal Rescue Corps President Scotlund Haisley. "Our rescue and shelter partners will now take over and give these wounded animals a place to recover and heal from the abuse and neglect they have suffered for so long."
The list of Tennessee area placement partners includes:
New Leash on Life in Lebanon, TN; Goofy Foot Dog Rescue of Huntingdon, TN; Small Breed Rescue of East Tennessee of Knoxville; Agape Animal Rescue of Nashville; ALIVE Rescue of Memphis; and Nashville PITTIE. In Kentucky: Kentucky Humane Society in Louisville, KY and Lexington Humane Society in Lexington, KY. In Maryland: the Humane Society of Calvert County; Mutts Matter Rescue; and Dogs XL Rescue. In Illinois: Second City Canine Rescue and Perfect Pooches Adoption Agency, both of Chicago, IL. In Wisconsin: Shih Tzu and Friends of Wisconsin, Inc. In Florida: Tri-County Animal Rescue in Boca Raton.
"Anyone wishing to adopt or foster one of these dogs should contact these rescue groups directly and follow the adoption and foster screening process," said ARC Outreach Director Karla Goodson. "There are many other animals - dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, horses, and sometimes even reptiles - available through our rescue partners and the other great rescues and shelters around the country, so anyone looking to add a member to their family is sure to find the perfect match."
On April 12th, dogs of a variety of breeds were found emaciated, living in complete darkness, several inches deep in their own feces, soaked in urine, in dangerously high levels of ammonia gas. Dogs were found in a garage in plastic and wire crates that were rusted shut and covered in cobwebs, in a barn in makeshift, pressed wood stalls with no windows, and locked in rooms of the house, surrounded by garbage and trashed belongings. The dogs themselves were so filthy and matted that some of their breeds were not immediately identifiable and some were matted to their cages by their own excrement. Animals were found in critical condition and rushed off the property to a veterinary hospital for emergency care. A wheelbarrow full of 10 deceased dogs covered in maggots was found on the property. ARC dubbed this rescue Operation Midnight Run after rushing overnight to the property from a rescue at a puppy mill in Illinois.
Coming on the heels of that case, on April 15th, the ARC team assisted authorities in Lebanon, TN, where 10 dogs of a variety of small breeds were found living in extreme filth, surrounded by garbage and feces, with inadequate shelter and no food or water. Seven dogs were chained to trees in deep mud and three were found in a dilapidated trailer. Several medical conditions were identified in the dogs, including dermatitis on their paws from having no relief from the wet, muddy ground, internal and external parasites, and eye conditions. All of the dogs were underweight and one was extremely matted. ARC dubbed this rescue, Operation Spring Three, being the third rescue in eight days.
Animal Rescue Corps performed Operation Midnight Run in conjunction with the Coffee County Sheriff's Office. Bissell Pet Foundation provided critical financial resources. New Leash on Life of Middle Tennessee in Lebanon, TN and PetSmart Charities® contributed essential equipment and supplies. Animal House Veterinary Clinic in Clarksville, TN and Premier Vet Care in Smyrna, TN provided emergency veterinary care for this rescue. Novamet Specialty Products Corporation of Lebanon, TN assisted with space for the ARC emergency shelter.
Animal Rescue Corps performed Operation Spring Three in conjunction with New Leash on Life of Middle Tennessee in Lebanon and the Lebanon Department of Public Health and Safety.
For more information about Animal Rescue Corps, please visit www.animalrescuecorps.org.
The BISSELL Pet Foundation is a non-profit pet foundation that provides financial assistance to animal welfare organizations with the goal of reducing the number of animals in shelters and rescues through adoption, spay/neuter programs, micro-chipping, and foster care.
PetSmart Charities, Inc. is a nonprofit animal welfare organization that saves the lives of homeless pets. More than 400,000 dogs and cats find homes each year through our adoption program in all PetSmart® stores and our sponsored adoption events. PetSmart Charities grants more money to directly help pets in need than any other animal welfare group in North America, with a focus on funding spay/neuter services that help communities solve pet overpopulation. PetSmart Charities is a 501(c)(3) organization, separate from PetSmart, Inc.
