Operation Harvest Moon: 135+ dogs rescued in large-scale cruelty case

Animal Rescue Corps’ Field Team responded to a heartbreaking and urgent request for help from law enforcement for a large-scale cruelty seizure in Madison County, FL.

135+ chihuahuas, rat terriers, and mixed-breed dogs suffered here, bred and used for profit and subjected to extreme hoarding and neglect. In addition, ARC’s team found the remains of dead animals on the property. The resident was arrested and will be charged with animal cruelty for each animal on site. This is a seizure and an active cruelty case.

The dogs lived in filth and dangerous clutter, both inside and outside of a house with high levels of ammonia. Inside, dogs were packed in cramped rooms and unsafe conditions.

Likewise, multiple dogs wandered through the hazardous scrap and garbage piled outside the house.

Over the course of the rescue, the Field Team located over half a dozen litters of vulnerable puppies. In addition, one small kitten was placed among a litter of puppies. Not only had the dogs been trapped in these dangerous circumstances, the resident also allowed the dogs to breed freely before selling them on Craigslist.

As a result of their grim conditions, the dogs suffered from infections, untreated injuries, anemia, dehydration, parasites, and more.

With over 135 vulnerable, badly-neglected dogs in need of rescue from this single case, Madison County, Florida, like most places, lacks the resources to handle this emergency alone. But ARC was founded to help animals in situations like this one, and, with your help, that’s just what we can do today.

With your help, their new lives begin now.

Each one of these animals will be relocated to ARC’s Rescue Center where they will receive much-needed medical and social care, as well as daily physical care and enrichment until they are ready to be placed within our network of vetted placement partners in high-adoption regions.

If you are in a position to help today with a donation to support ARC’s work, please do. Every donation makes a difference.

And, if you are in a position to volunteer, please sign up today. Opportunities are always available in ARC’s Rescue Center outside Nashville, TN, as well as sometimes nationally and beyond. We sometimes offer travel stipends.