GLEASON, Tenn. – Animal Rescue Corps (ARC), a national animal protection nonprofit, responded to a request from authorities in Weakly County, Tenn., to assist with over a dozen dogs on Election Day, including puppies only a few weeks old, living in horrendous conditions in a vacant single-family residence. The property was dilapidated, uninhabitable, without electricity or running water, filled with feces, infested with black widows, and generally a horrible place to live.
Twelve dogs and five puppies were found running loose in and around the trash-strewn property located in West Tennessee. Some sought shelter in discarded furniture and aquariums in the yard. Nine dogs and puppies were captured before nightfall, and trapping continued on the property until the remaining three dogs were rescued. Many of the dogs exhibited signs of fur loss, internal and external parasites, and were underweight. Ammonia levels in the home required rescuers to wear protective respirators before they could enter areas of the structure. All of the animals were surrendered to Animal Rescue Corps by the homeowner.
“Sadly, not all of the dogs survived,” said ARC Executive Director, Tim Woodward. “We found evidence of several recently deceased animals on the property today. I’m grateful to ARC’s donors and volunteers who have allowed us to assemble our field team and swiftly deploy to ensure the safety of each of the surviving dogs here.”
ARC transported all of the surviving dogs to ARC’s Rescue Center in Gallatin, Tenn., about 30 minutes east of Nashville. Each dog received a thorough veterinary exam, appropriate vaccinations, and any necessary medical treatments before they being matched and transported to trusted shelter and rescue partner organizations that ultimately adopted them into loving homes.
