WEST VIRGINIA -- More than 30 severely abused dogs were found near the Ritchie County / Doddridge County line Sunday afternoon.
Two dogs were found dead.
The dogs are currently at the Ritchie County Humane Society, where they are slowly recovering.
"It's not easy to look at," said Patsy Pepper, a volunteer with Pound Dog Partners.
Patsy Pepper heard about the abused dogs through Facebook. She and another volunteer visited the dogs Wednesday afternoon and donated numerous materials to the shelter.
One of the Pugs found on Sunday is missing an eye, blind, suffering from Sarcoptic Mange and pregnant. It's unknown how or if the mother's conditions will affect the unborn puppies.
Several other dogs at the shelter are believed to be pregnant as well.
Sarcoptic Mange doesn't only affect dogs.
"It's very contagious," Ray said. "It's a mange mite that people can get as well as the animals."
Volunteers have spent countless hours loving, feeding and washing the abandoned dogs -- hoping TLC isn't too late.
"We're hoping they can have a complete physical recovery from this," Ray said. "We're hoping we can socialize them and they can have a good happy life, in good homes."
The dogs have been washed and medicated and will remain at the shelter for at least the next few weeks.
"For the time being, we're housing the dogs ourselves," Ray said. "Making sure they're getting the proper treatment."
The shelter's phone doesn't stop ringing. It said it has received countless calls and emails from individuals and organizations offering everything from money to an extra hand.
"We've had both from other shelters, from rescue groups in Ohio and West Virginia," Ray said.
The shelter said it can't help these dogs alone, and it won't.
"It will lessen our burden of expense, plus they'll have more individual time if we can divide them up and not have so many," Ray said.
Volunteers at the shelter said some of the dogs may be transferred to rescue groups and foster homes in the future.
The individuals responsible for these acts have not been identified yet, officials said. It is believed these dogs may be evidence of an operating puppy mill, however officials said it's unclear as to where that puppy mill may be located. Anyone with information is asked to contact law enforcement.
(WBOY - June 6, 2012)
