Two North Shore Animal League America Emergency Rescue Teams returned from West Virginia with over 100 dogs, including pregnant mothers, mostly Dachshunds, who were seized last week in Parkersburg, West Virginia from a commercial breeding operation know as a “puppy mill.”

The emergency rescue team responded to a call for help from the Humane Society of Parkersburg after Wood County officials removed more than 1,000 dogs from an Internet-based dog breeding business in the largest animal rescue operation in West Virginia history.

The dogs were said to be housed in dilapidated sheds and wire mesh enclosures spread throughout the rural property, and it was reported that some were without access to fresh water. Most of these purebred animals have been kept in cramped conditions solely for breeding purposes and have never lived in a home before.

After medical and behavioral evaluation, spay or neutering, and some much needed nurturing, the dogs were available for adoption. The Animal League gave adopters a special Puppy Mill Behavior Profile and Rehabilitation Guide to assist them in caring for their new pets. Out of 111 purebreds rescued from the puppy mill, only a handful are still left at the shelter.

The Animal League Emergency Rescue Team was still on the move!
With hardly a break, our two 40-foot Mobile Rescue Units and multiple rescue teams were dispatched to the Hurricane Zone before Gustav hit...

As the result of these two emergencies and the significant costs that will be incurred with these rescues, we are depending so much on the generosity of supporters such as yourself.

Please help us continue our efforts to rescue more helpless animals from puppy mills by making a generous tax-deductible donation today.