Mississippi Mess: 180 Dogs and Cats Rescued
Three rescue missions in three states over four days: That was the assignment of our Animal Rescue team over the past week. After rescuing 120 cats from a suspected hoarding situation in Tennessee and 90 dogs from a puppy mill in New Jersey on Saturday, HSUS staff headed straight to Mississippi, where 180 dogs and three cats needed reprieve from deplorable conditions.
Working with the Mississippi Animal Rescue League, United Animal Nations, the Tampa Bay SPCA and the Kemper County Sheriff's Department, we removed the animals from feces-ridden outdoor pens and a cramped, filthy home at Raven's Hope. It claims to be a nonprofit organization that takes in homeless animals and helps adopt them, but it skidded off course some time ago. The sheriff's department had received numerous complaints of suspected neglect and called The HSUS in for assistance.
Upon arrival we found that many of the dogs were suffering from skin conditions, eye infections, untreated wounds and other serious medical ailments. Some animals had already perished from the conditions. The place was beyond squalid—hard to believe people and animals could survive there for long.
The survivors are now receiving proper care and medical attention. As I write this, a majority are being transported to area partner shelters to continue their recovery and find adoptive homes, while our staff seek placement for the remainder and care for them at an emergency shelter. There is new hope for these animals—and the Tennessee cats and New Jersey dogs, and the thousands of other animals The HSUS and our allies have helped to rescue.
I've included below a few photos of the dogs in their previous predicament. You can see more images here, and also in this update.
