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SPCA of Texas Awarded Custody of 247 Cruelly Treated Dogs Rescued from Puppy Mill in Upshur County
Friday, October 5, 2007
By: Maura Davies
Dogs Will be Available for Adoption Saturday, October 13
(Upshur County, TX); October 5, 2007—The SPCA of Texas was awarded custody of 247 cruelly treated dogs rescued from an Upshur County puppy mill at a hearing earlier today. The dogs had been rescued from a puppy mill near Gladewater, TX Wednesday, September 26. The dogs will be spayed and neutered and made available for adoption on a case by case basis beginning on Saturday, October 13 at both SPCA of Texas shelters (362 S. Industrial Blvd., Dallas and 8411 Stacy Rd./FM 720, McKinney) and all SPCA of Texas offsite adoptions events (www.spca.org/calendar).
Under the authority of the Upshur County Sheriff’s Department, the SPCA of Texas rescued the 247 dogs on Wednesday, September 26, 2007, from a puppy mill near Gladewater, Texas where dogs were forced to breed and live in horrendously overcrowded and filthy conditions. This is the SPCA's second large rescue of dogs in a two week period. To download SPCA of Texas photos from the rescue, please visit www.spca.org/upshurcountyrescue.
Upshur County officials arrested the property owner on Monday, September 24 on animal cruelty charges. The dogs, which include toy breeds such as Boston Terriers, Yorkshire Terriers, Chinese Crested, Jack Russell Terriers and others, were being bred in filthy, overcrowded conditions and forced to live in wire cages, pens, crates and kennels on the property. Dogs were found inside a feces and roach infested dwelling and also in a trailer, a shed and in various kennels, pens and cages located all over the property.
The SPCA brought the rescued animals back to its shelter in McKinney at 8411 Stacy Road/FM 720 the evening of September 26. The dogs were then vaccinated, wormed, fed, groomed and evaluated by a veterinarian. Sadly, three of the dogs passed away due to the horrendous conditions they were removed from. Many more of the dogs' conditions continue to improve.
Many of the dogs appeared to be suffering from extremely matted coats, hair loss, emaciation and potentially other diseases.
Thanks to a generous support like the $5,000 gift the Murrell Foundation contributed to the SPCA of Texas in the wake of the two puppy mill rescues in the last three weeks, the SPCA is able to fund future rescues like this and to support the SPCA's other programs and services. To join the Murrell Foundation in support of the SPCA of Texas and all the organizations' efforts, visit www.spca.org/helptheanimals. To learn more about the SPCA of Texas, please visit our website at http://www.spca.org/ .
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