The Smyrna-based veterinarian received word of a pet rescue in Coffee County and was asked to help care for 90 dogs in conditions that Animal Rescue Corps described as some of the worst they've ever seen.
"Words can't describe how it was," Jones said. "It was deplorable. There was so much neglect."
After spending the weekend quickly evaluating each of the pets — "basically like triage," she said — Jones spent Monday giving more extensive treatment to the dogs after they were transferred to a makeshift shelter in downtown Lebanon.
With limited lighting, she and other volunteers brought over dogs in the most critical conditions that had heart problems, skin infections and fur matted with feces and urine.
Jones, who works for Premier VetCare in Smyrna, is one of dozens of volunteers who came to Lebanon to care for the 90 dogs and four cats that were pulled from a home and a nearby barn in rural Coffee County overnight Saturday.
The remains of 10 deceased dogs were also found on the property where many of the animals that survived were found in rusted-shut cages or in barn stalls without light, according to an Animal Rescue Corps release.
The property owner, Caroline Ann Irby, 64, was charged with 10 counts of animal cruelty by the Coffee County Sheriff's Office on Monday. Additional charges may be added, said Coffee County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Danny Ferrell. Irby was an animal hoarder who became "overwhelmed", he added. - that word "overwhelmed" is used a lot for hoarders which I disagree with because it makes it sound like everything would've been ok except for that. No, hoarding is a mental illness and hoarding is selfish - the person may exploit the animal for financial gain or accolades as a rescuer or they may enjoy the animal relying on them - and only them - for its life (and death). It is not a victimless crime.
After finding the animals, the sheriff's office quickly called the Washington, D.C.-based Animal Rescue Corps when they realized how extensive a rescue operation would be.
"It was immediately obvious that we were going to need assistance in removing this large number of animals and getting them to safety as quickly as possible," Ferrell said in an Animal Rescue Corps news release.
Even though they were working on another major rescue in Chicago, Animal Rescue Corps split up their team, drove to Tennessee and organized a team of volunteers already familiar with the rescue process, said organization spokesman Michael Cunningham.
The nonprofit organization has transported dogs from several rescues to facilities in Lebanon immediately after the operations.
"We've got a great number of volunteers who are also trained," Cunningham said. "We just make the call, and they know what to do."
While the call was Jones' first to a rescue scene, she had already served with Animal Rescue Corps since November and knew how to help them. She learned about the organization from one of her clients, another volunteer with the group.
After 10 years in practice, Jones said she's developed a desire to help pets who come from the worst situations.
"I just have a passion for rescues and helping them in any way I can," she said.
Jones' efforts may be necessary for the long haul.
Animal Rescue Corps is expected to stay and care for the dozens of dogs for at least one-and-a-half to two weeks and give them medical grooming, veterinary exams, vaccines and decompression time, Cunningham said.
Organizers will set up evaluation pens after that and perform behavioral assessments to determine whether the dogs are ready to go to placement partners and eventually be adopted.
The organization will post on its Facebook page when specific dogs are sent to their its partners for adoption.
Because of the conditions these animals were found in, however, Cunningham said they may have a long way to go before they get to that final step.
By Monday afternoon, the next step was preparing the animals for another move. Animal Rescue Corps had just gotten permission to move to another, more expansive building in Lebanon with bathrooms and running water.
She's scheduled to return to her Smyrna veterinary office on Tuesday but will try to make it back out to care for the animals by the weekend at the latest, she said.
"I'm sure they'll need some help later," Jones said.
(Daily News Journal - April 4, 2015)
