Fifty-five puppies are looking for new homes in the D.C. area after they were rescued from an Arkansas breeding mill.
AR Puppy Mill Rescue Pulled from an Arkansas puppy mill in February, 55 dogs are in need of news homes, and they've come to D.C. to find them. (Courtesy HSUS)
Courtesy HSUS
AR Puppy Mill Rescue This puppy was one of 121 pulled from an Arkansas puppy mill. Fifty-five of the dogs made their way to D.C. where they now need new homes. (HSUS)
HSUS
Two of the 55 dogs looking for new homes after being pulled from an Arkansas puppy mill. (WTOP/Megan Cloherty)
WTOP/Megan Cloherty
Two of the 55 dogs looking for new homes after being pulled from an Arkansas puppy mill. (WTOP/Megan Cloherty)
WTOP/Megan Cloherty
AR Puppy Mill Rescue Horses, dogs, rabbits and exotic birds were rescued by a team from the Humane Society of the United States and the Jefferson County Sheriff's office Thursday, February 27, 2014, on rural property north of Pine Bluff, Ark. Some of the small dogs found in the kennels on the property. (Courtesy HSUS)
Courtesy HSUS
AR Puppy Mill Rescue Some dogs taken from a puppy mill in Arkansas made their way to D.C., where they now need new homes. (Courtesy HSUS)
Courtesy HSUS
AR Puppy Mill Rescue Some of the animals pulled from the Arkansas breeding mill included exotic birds. (Courtesy HSUS)
Courtesy HSUS
AR Puppy Mill Rescue One of the dog's pulled from the Arkansas puppy mill. (Courtesy HSUS)
Courtesy HSUS
Not all of the rescued dogs are ready to be with people yet. (WTOP/Megan Cloherty)
WTOP/Megan Cloherty
Two of the 55 dogs looking for new homes after being pulled from an Arkansas puppy mill. (WTOP/Megan Cloherty)
Washington – Fifty-five puppies are looking for new homes in the D.C. area after they were rescued from an Arkansas breeding mill.
After a year-long investigation that started with a call to the Humane Society’s puppy mill tip line, rescuers pulled 121 dogs from the Arkansas mill.
“It’s not just getting them out, just as much effort went into their aftercare and planning to remove them,” says Tia Pope, an investigator with the Humane Society of the United States.
The mill was breeding a host of animal species, including horses, exotic birds and rabbits, Pope says. Most have health issues that need to be addressed.
Pope says the puppies, which are mostly small breed, were largely dispersed regionally. But 55 made their way to D.C. area shelters
“A lot of them are the higher-end breeds, including Italian greyhounds, terriers, poodles, poodle mixes and shih tzus,” Pope says
While they were bred to sell, the type of dogs also makes them easy to adopt.
Bob Ramin, with the Washington Animal Rescue League, says the 15 dogs of the group available for adoption at his location have to go through a medical examination first.
“We want to make sure they get their teeth checked and other things, just anything you’d normally do before you bring a new family member into your home,” Ramin says
The dogs should be available to adopt in 7 to 14 days, he says.
