November 24, 2010
ASPCA on the Ground in Arkansas
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| Credit: Mike Bizelli |
The ASPCA’s
Field Investigations and Response Team is on the ground in Hector, Arkansas, today removing more than 120 dogs from an extremely overcrowded and unsanitary animal sanctuary. At the request of the Pope County Sheriff’s Office, the ASPCA is working with Best Friends Animal Society to bring relief to the medium- to large-breed dogs, including Labradors and Shepherd mixes.
The sheriff’s office was responding to complaints it received from concerned individuals about the volunteer-run sanctuary, located on 40 acres about 80 miles north of Little Rock. The facility is operated by an elderly woman who created the rescue in partnership with her local humane society to house dogs with special needs.
"The dogs found on the property appear to be well-socialized, but there are alarming signs of neglect such as mange and other medical issues," said Kyle Held, the ASPCA Midwest Regional Director of Field Investigations and Response. "It’s clear that the dogs are in dire need of care and treatment, and our mission is to remove the animals from the property and get them triaged by a veterinary team."
More than 15 responders are on the scene, including staff and volunteers from Best Friends Animal Society, which is providing sheltering services, and PetSmart Charities, which is providing much-needed supplies such as crates and bowls. A local veterinarian is evaluating and treating the dogs seized from the investigation.
This is the ASPCA’s sixth major animal hoarding intervention this year, and its third that involved a severely overcrowded shelter. In June, the Field Investigations and Response Team helped the Elk County Humane Society of St. Mary’s, Pennsylvania, rescue almost 400 cats from another disreputable sanctuary. That investigation was believed to be the Pittsburgh area’s biggest feline rescue of all time. And in January, the team helped remove about 400 cats and dogs from the City of Clarksdale Animal Shelter in Mississippi, a facility intended to handle about 60 animals.
Stay tuned to aspca.org for more information as this story develops.