Forty dogs rescued from Alabama puppy mill

ALABAMA -- Their faces tear at the heart strings of those like Sharon Wright and Toni Raibick.
"They are poor defenseless babies that have been abused or terrified," said Wright.

Forty dogs including Pomeranians, Maltese and Poodle mixes were whisked away from an Alabama puppy mill.

Many had spent their whole life in a cage.

Now they are hoping to find homes in Palm Harbor and beyond.

 

"The poor things have never been out of a crate or whenever they kept them in," said Raibick.

Before they can go to a foster home, they needed grooming and a lot of attention.

"The condition of these dogs are way worse than anything we thought," said Rick Chaboudy.

  

 

Rick Chaboudy, the executive director of Suncoast Animal League, explained the condition of the dogs.

"These dogs are so matted that sometimes their legs are sticking to their sides and they can't walk normally," he said.

The dogs were given baths. Their smell overwhelmed volunteers.

"When they first arrived this morning, when they opened the door to the van, the smell about knocked us over," said Chaboudy.

Veterinary staff were on hand to give shots and medical attention.

 

"These guys are 5 or 6 pound dogs in some cases probably have 300 or 400 fleas on them," said Chaboudy.

In turn, some of the dogs went home with foster parents like Raibick.

"I have a lot of neighbors and friends that can't wait to see him," she said.

 

They hope this will be the beginning of a fresh start for man's best friend.

"I'm going to work with him and be patient and loving to him," said Raibick.

For those interested in fostering or fostering-to-adopt, please contact Suncoast Animal League at Foster@SuncoastAnimalLeague.Org. For more information about the rescue, contact Suncoast Animal League at Info@SuncoastAnimalLeague.Org or call at 727-786-1330.

(FOX 13 Tampa Bay, WTVT-TV - Oct 26, 2014)