The tip that had local police and the Humane Society at the door of the Stokes County kennel facility on Tuesday was from local Animal control officers. Animal Control alerted the police after the “breeder” surrendered 11 dogs in poor condition to an animal rescue group in Stokes County. On Tuesday, police officers along with members of the Humane Society searched the property and discovered the dogs living in their own feces in small, wire enclosures. The owner surrendered all of the 150 dogs on the property. The breeding operation was called Dan River Bullies, according to media reports. The kennel website says they sell Bulldog, Yorkshire terrier, Shih Tzu and Chihuahua puppies. It’s unclear at this point whether the owner will be charged since the dogs and puppies were turned over willingly. While some of the dogs turned over seemed to be generally healthy once they were cleaned up and given vaccinations the majority were in very poor condition and in some cases in need of major medical attention or even surgery before they could be considered healthy enough for foster care.
All of the facilities who have taken in dogs or puppies from this Puppy Mill bust are asking for help in the form of canned dog food, food for nursing mothers, and cleaning supplies. Many of the locations that are caring for the dogs will be placing them in foster homes to help them adjust to the life as a pet before they are placed for adoption. If you live in the area and are interested in fostering any of the 150 rescued dogs and puppies you can contact the local shelters to see if they need help and when.
