MCDOWELL COUNTY W.Va. (WVDN) – Animal Rescue Corps (ARC), a national animal protection nonprofit, rescued 14 dogs on Thursday from desperate conditions at a property in McDowell County, West Virginia, about an hour west of Princeton W.Va., after authorities had been at the property last week and had concerns for the animal’s welfare. All of the animals were surrendered to Animal Rescue Corps by the property owner who was arrested for animal cruelty and taken to the county jail.
When ARC responders arrived they found 12 large dogs in outdoor pens littered with frozen feces and constructed out of scrap wire fencing, plywood, and bits of tin roofing. The dogs huddled together to stay warm in the freezing temperatures. Two additional dogs were removed from the house which had wastewater flowing from beneath, across the property, and into a nearby creek. Several broken-down vehicles filled with trash, as well as pens that needed to be cut open and the icy conditions, made the rescuer’s work to safely remove the animals challenging. Before this week’s snow, local residents had captured footage of deep mud and bones across the property and dog habitats.
“This week’s previous blizzard will be the last these dogs will have to endure in these inhumane conditions,”’ said Tim Woodward, ARC’s Executive Director. “I’m grateful to the local good samaritans here who provided straw and blew the whistle, and to law enforcement for their swift action. These dogs likely would have eventually frozen or starved to death, and I’m glad ARC’s team could be here to get them to safety before the next blizzard arrives tomorrow.”
Because of the lack of veterinary care and the unsanitary, inhumane living conditions, the animals are suffering from a range of medical issues, including overgrown nails, matting, fur loss, skin inflammation, ear and eye infections, untreated injuries, and internal and external parasites.
The planning for this rescue, dubbed Operation Deep Freeze, began when local animal rescuers reached out to ARC for assistance this week. ARC swiftly began assembling tactical equipment and a field team and preparing their facility for the incoming animals. Animal Rescue Corps managed the safe extraction of every animal.
ARC transported half of the dogs from the property to ARC’s Rescue Center in Gallatin, Tenn., about 40 minutes east of Nashville. Each animal taken to ARC’s Rescue Center will receive a thorough veterinary exam, appropriate vaccinations, and any necessary medical treatments until they are matched and transported to trusted shelter and rescue partner organizations that will ultimately adopt them into loving homes. For people wishing to foster or adopt, ARC will publish its list of shelter and rescue placement partners on its Facebook page once the animals are transferred to these groups.
To donate or volunteer to help these dogs and puppies and other animals in need, visit animalrescuecorps.org
ABOUT: Since 2010, Animal Rescue Corps (ARC), a national animal protection nonprofit, has provided large-scale animal rescue for communities that lack resources to address abuse In addition to emergency rescue, ARC offers education and shelter relief. ARC’s mission is to end animal suffering through direct and compassionate action and to inspire the highest ethical standards of humanity towards animals. To learn more about Animal Rescue Corps, visit: animalrescuecorps.org
