Dog rescues elderly NC woman who fell

SOUTHPORT, NC (WECT) – A dog who was recently rescued from being a orphan has been doing some rescuing of his own.

When one of his neighbors fell, Thor the pooch sprang into action to let his owners know something was wrong – possibly saving the elderly woman's life.

Barbara Simmons, 78, fell on the side of the road while checking her mail on a hot day earlier this month.

She said she yelled for help but no one came to her rescue for at least a half hour. Thor, a dog with a heroic name, noticed Simmons and went to check it out.

"He was just so gentle and like, 'are you okay, are you okay?'" explained Simmons. "It was like somebody asking, 'are you okay, are you okay?'"

Thor's owners said he was acting strangely that day, ignoring their commands.

"He ran to this point and he stopped and looked back at my husband and barked at him a couple of times like, ‘I'm not going to listen to you,' and he took off right around the corner," said owner Anne Lewis.

Thor led his owners to Simmons nearly a block away. They called for help and the EMT told Lewis that Thor probably saved her life.

Despite being part Pitbull and part Rottweiler, Thor has never attacked anyone or harmed anything.

"He's totally destroyed the stereotype you have of those breeds," said Thor's owner, Colin Heaton. "He loves people."

Thor's owners say dogs like him, which are rescued from bad situations, make great pets and their previous living situations don't really have an impact on the dog's behavior.

"He has on occasion saved our chickens from a fox, survived being bitten by a copperhead, wrestled another fox, chased a coyote, and learned dozens of words and commands," Anne Lewis said.

http://www.wistv.com/story/15558547/dog-rescues-elderly-woman-who-fell

Tiger cub found among stuffed toys in Bangkok luggage

26 August 10 21:41

A two-month-old tiger cub has been found sedated and hidden among stuffed toy tigers in a woman's luggage at Bangkok's airport, the wildlife trade monitoring network Traffic has said.

The Thai national was trying to board a flight to Iran but had difficulty with a large bag at check-in.

X-rays aroused suspicions among airport staff who believed they had seen an image resembling a real animal.

Wildlife officers were then called in and discovered the tranquilised cub.

The tiger was found last Sunday and is now being cared for at the rescue centre of the department of national parks, wildlife and plant conservation.

Authorities are trying to determine if the cat is wild or captive-bred.

Chris Shepherd, South-East Asia deputy regional director for Traffic, said: "We applaud all the agencies that came together to uncover this brazen smuggling attempt."

But he also called for regular monitoring and harsher penalties.

"If people are trying to smuggle live tigers in their check-in luggage, they obviously think wildlife smuggling is something easy to get away with and do not fear reprimand," he said.

"Only sustained pressure on wildlife traffickers and serious penalties can change that."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/world-asia-pacific-11104948
(Submitted by Janet Lawrence)

Lifedogs trained to rescue swimmers in Italy

August 24, 2010 5:00 PM

They many not look quite like Pamela Anderson in a red swimsuit, but dogs are being trained to work as lifeguards on Italian beaches.

Dozens of the pooches are currently undergoing training which will see them taught how to jump from helicopters or boats and save stranded swimmers.

In total the Italian Coast Guard uses 300 lifedogs - mostly golden retrievers and labradors - which each work with a human lifeguard.

Bosses say the dogs are great for taking inflatable rubber rings to swimmers who are in distress and act as an "intelligent lifebuoy".

The dogs are credited with saving the lives of some of the 3,000 people rescued each year -- not bad considering they can only swim doggie paddle.

http://newslite.tv/2010/08/24/lifedogs-trained-to-rescue-swi.html

Gorilla saved by French doc's hip op

Agence France-Presse
Posted at 08/21/2010 3:25 PM | Updated as of 08/21/2010 3:25 PM

PARIS - A French surgeon may have entered the record books by saving a 70-kilo (154-pound) female gorilla that sustained a crippling injury after falling from a tree in a safari park.

Louis-Etienne Gayet, an orthopaedic surgeon at the University Hospital Centre in Poitiers, central France, was called in to help eight-year-old Kwanza after the ape snapped her thighbone at Vallee des Singes (Valley of the Apes) in Romagne.

The break occurred very close to where the thighbone, or femur, enters the hip, where its ball-like end is enclosed by a ring of bone, the park said in a press release on Friday.

The problem was that, because the femur had been completely fractured, the ball end twisted around in the hip casing. As a result, the two bones were left back-to-front.

Delicate cases such as these are relatively common in human surgery but almost unheard-of for veterinarians.

Gayet rolled up his sleeves and in a three-hour operation at a veterinary clinic last Monday gently turned the bone's ball end in the right direction and reattached it to the rest of the femur with a 15-centimeter (six-inch) plate, along with an eight-cm (3.5-inch) screw in the hip.

There was a stroke of luck because Kwanza, still youthful in gorilla terms, has the same femur anatomy as a human adult, which meant Gayet could fix a standard plate which he uses in his day-to-day patients.

The neck of a femur in a young gorilla forms a boney crook of about 130 degrees. In adult gorillas, the angle is about 100 degrees, Gayet explained.

Kwanza can now crawl around, but it will take another six weeks to know whether the bones have knitted properly and she has recovered full mobility.

"It was a fantastic experience," Gayet said in an interview with AFP, before wondering aloud: "I don't know -- has anyone ever fixed a fracture of the neck of a femur on a gorilla before?"

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/lifestyle/classified-odd/08/21/10/gorilla-saved-french-docs-hip-op

Cricketer blames cat over drunken-driving charge

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
Aug 18 2010 10:39

England bowler Graeme Swann told a police officer who stopped him for drunken driving that he had had to go out to buy screwdrivers to rescue his trapped cat, a court heard on Monday.

The 31-year-old spinner had been out with friends when he returned to his Nottinghamshire home and discovered his pet trapped under the floorboards, he told police.

He said he then got in his white Porsche Cayenne and was driving to a supermarket in the early hours of April 2 when he was pulled over, the Nottingham Magistrate's Court heard, the Press Association reported.

Police Constable Steven Denniss said he decided to pull Swann over initially because he was driving a high-performance car in an area where there had been a spate of burglaries.

"Mr Swann stated he had been out that evening and had come back to find his cat trapped under the floorboards in his house. He had gone to Asda to fetch some screwdrivers to remove some floorboards," Denniss told the court.

"His speech was slightly slurred but he was compliant. He was slightly upset due to the fact of his cat and what had just happened."

The officer said Swann, third in the International Cricket Council's world bowling rankings, then admitted he "shouldn't have probably been driving". A blood test found he had 83 mg of alcohol per 100 ml of blood. The legal limit is 80 mg.

Swann denies one charge of drink driving and the trial continues.

http://www.mg.co.za/article/2010-08-18-cricketer-blames-cat-over-drunkendriving-charge

Jarhead bear

16 August 2010 16:30 GMT

A bear cub in Florida has been saved after spending 10 days with a jar stuck on his head.

The animal - who lives in the Ocala National Park - is thought to have poked his head into the container while rummaging through rubbish for food and was just days away from dying due to starvation.

Fortunately, officials were able to remove it after some of the park's residents saw the bear wondering around.

It took 10 days to find him and his mother was put to sleep with a tranquilising dart while officials removed the container from the cub's head.

Biologist Mike Orlando said: "Although the story appears to have a happy ending, it truly illustrates one of the worst things that can happen when wildlife gets into garbage."

http://entertainment.stv.tv/showbiz/192126-jarhead-bear/

Dog honks for help when left in a hot car

July 12, 2010
By QMI Agency

A chocolate Labrador had to take matters into his own paws near Allantown, PA.

When left in a hot car, 11-year-old Max began honking the horn for help, local TV station WFMZ reported.

After taking Max for a drive while she did errands, Donna Gardner said she returned home and went in the house, forgetting man's best friend was in the car with her.

About an hour later, she heard a car horn and she went outside. She didn't see anyone, so she went back inside.

Then the horn blew again and Gardner went outside to see her beloved pet at her car's steering wheel.

"I rushed over and got him out real fast and he was panting like crazy," she told the television station. They called a vet who said Max would be fine after some water and cool towels.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2010/07/12/14688621.html

Snowdonia mountain rescue crew save tired dog

June 15, 2010 12:30 PM

A four-man mountain rescue crew were called out to save the life of a dog which became tired on a Snowdonia mountain walk.

Nero, a 10-year-old black labrador had been trekking above the Ogwen Valley near Bangor, when he became tired and the stoney path caused him to suffer sore paws.

His owner, a woman in her 30s, didn't know what to do and dialled 999 for mountain rescue - asking them to help the poor pooch back down.

A team was dispatched and located the dog and owner before taking it in turns to slowly carry Nero down on their shoulder

The mountain heroes say it took three hours to get off the mountain -- and that the phrase 'rescue dog' is normally a description rather than an instruction.

A spokesperson for the rescue team said: "Initially, we placed the dog in a large bag and strapped it to a back frame / half a mini Bell stretcher.

"However with the heat of the day and the steepness of the ground, we felt that the dog might not be having the best casualty care.

"We let him out and placed him on our shoulders and top of rucsack. Three of us took it in turn to carry Nero.

"At each change of porter, the dog was given a break and was able to relax on some grass."

LINKS
Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue

http://newslite.tv/2010/06/15/snowdonia-mountain-rescue-crew.html

Firemen rescue squirrel

FIREFIGHTERS were called to 'rescue' a squirrel - by a homeowner who was driven nuts trying to get rid of it. The Brighton crew chased the critter around the flat for 30 minutes before it jumped out of a window. 'He was leaping about all over us. It was a hilarious,' said one firefighter.

http://e-edition.metro.co.uk/2010/05/27/ - p4.

Mother bear saving stuck baby bear by snapping tree is YouTube hit

12th May, 2010

What do you do if your bear cub gets stuck up a tree? Answer – take matters into your own paws.

That’s what mummy bear Bjork did when her wayward three-month-old daughter scampered up a tree and could not, or would not, come down.

Mobile phone footage shows that, for a few seconds at least, she tried to reach up and gently coax her little one down from her perch 3.6m (12ft) off the ground.

But she lost patience and started violently shaking the sapling as Berna swung precariously above – tantalisingly out of reach.

After a slightly ungainly effort to climb up and grab her by the scruff of the neck, Bjork’s patience snapped ... and so did the tree.

She simply broke it in two, bringing Berna crashing back down to earth with a bump.

Meanwhile, her brother Urs watched from a safe distance.

The spectacle kept tourists enraptured at the bear park in Bern, Switzerland, and has become a YouTube sensation with 250,000 views.

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/825721-mother-bear-saving-stuck-baby-bear-by-snapping-tree-is-youtube-hit

Bear rescued after getting stuck up tree

RIGHT: The sleepy bear rests on tree branches in Santa Clara Cemetery in Oxnard, California after being tranquillised

Tom Phillips - 5th May, 2010

A sleepy 200lb bear was rescued from a tree in California after it fell asleep in the branches after being hit with tranquilliser darts.

Firefighters had to fit the groggy black bear with a harness then use a ladder to lower it to the ground after it climbed up a tree in a cemetery in Oxnard, California before being tranquillised by Fish and Game department officials.

The bear dozed off in the branches with at least three tranquilliser darts hanging from its side.


The bear had been reported prowling a nearby neighbourhood just after 2 a.m.

It was first spotted in a fire station parking lot, then up a tree in a condominium complex. Two apartment buildings were evacuated as police tried to track the bear down. It eventually climbed over the cemetery wall and headed up the tree, where it was tranquillised.

After it was safely lowered to the ground, Fish and Game experts bundled the bear in a tarpaulin, and police say it will be released in Los Padres National Forest.

http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/824686-bear-rescued-after-getting-stuck-up-tree

Kemerovo Region resident claims rescuing Yeti in spring flood

265 words
29 April 2010
ITAR-TASS World Service
English
(c) 2010 ITAR-TASS

KEMEROVO, April 29 (Itar-Tass) < A resident of the village Senzaskie Kichi, Kemerovo Region, hunter Afanasy Kiskorov, claims that he rescued a Yeti during a spring flood on the mountainous river of Kabyrza. His actions were witnessed by local residents, Itar-Tass learnt at the administration of the Tashtagol district of the Kemerovo Region, a supposed habitation place of a hominid.

While fishing, Kiskorov and other local hunters heard strong ice crushing and shrill howling. Rushing to the piercing shriek, the huntsmen saw ³a creature, covered with dark-brown fur², in the river some ten metres from the bank.

³The strange creature, looking like a huge man, tried several times to get out of water and to stand up on both feet, but dropped into the water each time and was howling. The hunters stood frozen, and only Kiskorov hurried to offer help: he threw the creature the dry trunk of a young aspen tree, the creature clutched to it and crawled to the bank,² the district administration said.

The Kemerovo Region registers a high spring flood this year, and many mountain rivers just started breaking ice. Ice at some sections persists, but very thin. The village of Senzaskie Kichi, located 140 kilometres from the Tashtagol district centre deep in the taiga, has no electricity and a road. A helicopter flies to the village once a week.

The last flight brought a letter, signed by Kiskorov and another three huntsmen, to the head of the Tashtagol district administration with a story about this incident.

-0-bur
Document TASS000020100429e64t0005l

(Submitted by Paul Cropper)

Trapped foxes freed with washing liquid

Monday, April 19 2010, 17:12 BST
By Mayer Nissim, Entertainment Reporter

Three red fox cubs who became trapped in a drain have been set free with the aid of washing liquid.

The creatures were trapped in a grate in Plainfield, Connecticut when their mewing was heard by nearby residents, Rex Features reports.

Firefighters, police and an animal welfare officer arrived on the scene but did not have the appropriate tools to cut the metal to release the cubs.

Vaseline and corn oil proved ineffective in freeing the foxes, but animal control officer Karen Stone freed them with the aid of washing up liquid.

"Except for being a little soapy, I think they were okay," she said.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/odd/news/a215265/trapped-foxes-freed-with-washing-liquid.html

Duck survives 500-mile journey in van grille

A van driver who hit two ducks on a Belgian road was astounded when he found a live mallard in his radiator grille after stopping near Wakefield, West Yorkshire.

Published: 7:30AM BST 01 Apr 2010

Paul Murphy, 41, from Leeds, hit the pair of birds on a dark country road in Belgium and noticed the force of the collision had smashed a hole in his radiator grille.

But the driver, not realising one of the ducks was wedged under his bonnet, kept driving and did not discover the stowaway until he stopped to inspect the damage at a service station on the M1.

Mr Murphy said: "All of a sudden I saw this green head behind the radiator. I couldn't believe it. My first thought was 'Oh dear, it's dead, what am I going to do here?' because it wasn't moving.

"When its feathers moved I put it down to the wind, but then I saw it was breathing. I couldn't believe it."

Using a screwdriver he was able to extract the duck, after which he put him in a cardboard box and drove it to a rescue centre.

Vets discovered the adult male had suffered a broken wing and had some bleeding from his beak, but said they hoped he would make a full recovery.

James Funnell, manager of the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals hospital in Leeds, where the mallard is being cared for, said: "The duck, nicknamed 'Plucky' by the veterinary team, is currently being cared for in the hospital's isolation facility.

"We have contacted DEFRA for advice and guidance. Once we have this, the bird will hopefully be moved to an appropriate local wildlife rescue facility.

"Ducks aren't the usual type of patient to come through our doors as we don't have the facilities to care for wildlife, but Plucky has already become a big talking point."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/7542508/Duck-survives-500-mile-journey-in-van-grille.html

Help, my chair is eating my spaniel

Firefighters called to a spaniel in the works were probably expecting a prank – but then they spied poor Sage stuck in a reclining chair.

They saw the seven-year-old Cavalier King Charles stuck by one ear in the mechanism of the recliner.

‘I didn’t realise Sage was under the chair at the time,’ said owner Ann Gaman.

‘I just didn’t know what to do. I was in a panic. In the end my neighbour rang the fire brigade and they were able to release her. They were brilliant,’ added the 69-year-old of Torquay.

Sage ‘was as good as gold’ as they prised the chair apart to free her, said crew commander Stefan Belsten.

http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/819278-help-my-chair-is-eating-my-spaniel

Marine animal rescue vessel launched

Sunday, March 14 2010

Members of the Manatee Conservation Trust and the Zoological Society of Trinidad and Tobago accompanied by two officials from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), Kelvin Alie and Dr Ian Robinson participated in the launch of a marine animal rescue boat, aptly christened Rescue One, last week.

Also present on the day were members of the Caribbean Animal Welfare Association (CAWA), a non-governmental organisation based in Trinidad with a reach throughout the wider Caribbean and the San Juan Rotary Club, rounding off the partners involved in this initiative.

As the timing of the launch coincided with recent reports of pilot whale sightings in the Gulf of Paria, the opportunity was taken to conduct further investigations, making use of the tremendous expertise of IFAW in marine mammal research and conservation. The capability of Rescue One to conduct such an investigation was brought into play with the deployment of its depth sounders, a marine electronic device that can detect the presence of aquatic life. This equipment was acquired to facilitate research studies currently being undertaken by the Manatee Conservation Trust and the Zoological Society of Trinidad and Tobago with the support of IFAW, on the distribution of whales and dolphins in TT waters.

Having deployed the research equipment off Chacachacare Island, the team registered that there was some detection of activity in the area. Further scouting revealed the presence of what was initially thought to be pilot whales, but upon closer observations were identified as bottlenose dolphins. The pod comprised at least ten individuals with one young clearly visible.

In an attempt to confirm the identity of some pictures which are circulation, Dr Robinson used his extensive experience working with marine mammals to identify these reputed pilot whales as false killer whales based on the shape of the dorsal fin and the absence of a bulbous head. The literature also suggests that these species are often associated with bottlenose dolphins, the species actually seen during the launch.That these respective organisations have come together to fill the void in marine animal conservation is no surprise, especially as there are complementarities in their respective mandate. The Manatee Conservation Trust, a community-based entity has always had a focus on marine mammals and since its pivotal role in the saving of 14 of the 25 short-finned pilot whales which stranded on the Manzanilla Beach in 1999, has given much of its attention to monitoring of whales and dolphins in the waters off Trinidad and Tobago. It has been in the forefront of following through on reports made by persons on whale sightings or strandings in any part of the country and is often one of the first responders. The Zoological Society of Trinidad and Tobago already has a land-based animal ambulance which allows members to respond to animals which are in distress and this is a natural extension to ensure coverage of both the terrestrial and aquatic environments.

Nirmal Biptah, Curator of the Emperor Valley Zoo felt that the timing of this launch could only complement the new mandate of the Zoological Society of Trinidad and Tobago Inc in getting involved in the wider aspect of animal welfare throughout Trinidad and Tobago. The Zoological Society of Trinidad and Tobago Inc. for the past 60 years focussed mainly on the running of the Emperor Valley Zoo.

For those familiar with the work of the San Juan Rotary Club, this foray into the marine animal rescue cause should come as no surprise. This organisation has a history of involvement in environmental projects and its support for manatee conservation under the Protect our Earth” programme in 1990 — 1991, is what led to the formation of the Manatee Conservation Trust in 1999. Additionally, it has been providing support to the Zoological Society of Trinidad and Tobago for over 15 years.

During the launch, Gupte Lutchmedial, who provides a crucial linkage among the various organisations involved, acknowledged the generous support of the management of La Soufriere Maritime Ltd, which is providing storage and berthing facilities for the boat in Chaguaramas at a discounted rate. He mentioned that in addition, the organisations were extremely fortunate to benefit from the waiving of registration fees for use of this facility. A special thank you was given to Budget Marine Trinidad which gave discounts for the boat equipment and has donated the communication radio on the boat.

The launching of this boat is just the first step in covering the island as very soon another boat will be commissioned for the east coast of Trinidad. As explained by Lutchmedial, “The prevalence of whale strandings in the Manzanilla and Mayaro areas demand that we be in a state of preparedness for any future incidents which may occur in these parts.” As a reminder, in early 2009, there were at least three strandings in this area. Two melon-headed whales were stranded in Mayaro and Manzanilla and another species which could not be identified due to its advanced state of decomposition, washed ashore dead in Guayaguayare.

With Rescue One ready to respond to distress calls, the stage is set to strengthen operations for the rescue and rehabilitation of marine animals, especially whales and dolphins. The public can report any sightings of marine animals in distress to the Hotline at 622-5344 or 622-3530.

http://www.newsday.co.tt/features/0,117289.html

Dog rescued from duck pond by 17 firemen

A dog who slipped into an frozen duck pond escaped death after a team of 17 firefighters came to his rescue.

Published: 7:30AM GMT 31 Dec 2009

Matt - an eight-year-old Cocker Spaniel - ran across ice and tumbled into freezing waters in Dean Country Park, Kilmarnock.

As the dog struggled to escape, fire crews from Kilmarnock and a water rescue unit from Ayr raced to the scene after the alarm was raised.

Using ladders and specialist equipment, they managed to reach Matt and fish the shivering Spaniel out of the pond.

Matt had been taken for a walk by his owner's neighbours when the drama unfolded.

The firefighters were hailed as heroes by grateful owner Shelia Johnston

"I still can't believe one little dog caused so much fuss and had 17 firemen looking after him. I'm so grateful to all of them," she said.

"Matt came from the SSPCA's rescue centre at Cardonald so it's actually not the first time he's been rescued - but hopefully it will be the last.

"The vets have told me he's going to be fine. They put him under the heat lamp and hair dryer as soon as he arrived at the surgery.

"He had been out for a walk with my neighbours when he ran on to the pond and fell in.

"They were as delighted as me that everything turned out all right in the end."

Stevie Logan, Kilmarnock Fire Brigade's station commander, said: "The dog was in clear distress and had been in the water for some time when we arrived.

"He was trapped in a circle of water with ice surrounding it and couldn't get out.

"The people in this case did exactly the right thing by phoning us, and not attempting to rescue it themselves.

"Too many people have drowned trying to rescue their dogs, and although it is a hard thing to do to stand by and watch the dog struggling, we do have the specialist knowledge and equipment to carry out a rescue."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/6912509/Dog-rescued-from-duck-pond-by-17-firemen.html

Bird snags talon on escalator

December 14, 2009

WASHINGTON - Every so often in the Washington Metro subway system, a foot gets caught in an escalator.

Usually, the culprit is a shoe lace or a flip-flop sandal. On Monday, it was a bird's talon.

Fire department spokesman Pete Piringer says rescuers were called to a station Monday. A large bird of prey - possibly a hawk or a falcon - had its foot stuck in the moving staircase.

Metro employees shut off the power, and a passer-by held the bird to keep it from injuring itself more. When firefighters arrived, they removed a portion of the escalator to free the bird.

Piringer says that despite a slightly injured foot, the bird flew to the top of a nearby gas station, where it sat for a while before continuing on its way.

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/WeirdNews/2009/12/14/12150091-ap.html

Puppy Mill Rescue Dogs Arrive in DC

83 dogs, 6 cats rescued from Arkansas puppy mill
Friday, 09 Oct 2009
Bob Barnard
By BOB BARNARD/myfoxdc

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Nearly 100 dogs were rescued from an alleged puppy mill in Arkansas this week, and now they're in Washington. Rescuers called it one of the worst cases they've ever seen.

They spent 18 hours on the road to get here. The animals were brought to the District in a big rig. Eighty-three dogs and six cats were taken from a property in Lamar, Arkansas, which is locaed northwest of Little Rock.

"Like any puppy mill, this is the worst that humanity can do to animals-- these animals were in horrible conditions," said Dr. Gary Weitzman of the Washington Animal Rescue League . "Maybe the worst we've seen and we do a lot of puppy mill rescues."

In fact, it's the worst of 15 puppy mill cases the Humane Society of the U.S. says it has investigated this year.

"We've rescued over 4,000 dogs from these hell holes," said Scotlund Haisley of the Humane Society of the U.S.

The Humane Society and Arkansas authorities raided the alleged puppy mill three days ago.

"These dogs have been laying in their own feces and urine their entire lives and as you can seem, it's turning into an acid and burning their coat," said Haisley.

The animals were in chicken crates that were stacked on top of each other. Rescuers say they had no veterinary car, no grooming, and of they didn't get food or water.

One of the dogs became stuck in her home, and she couldn't move. In fact, the matting from her coat grew on the cage and she had to be cut out. Another dog needed immediate medical care because he was dehydrated and had a very low temperature.

"It's hard to even fathom that people can act like this to animals or anything," said Haisley. "And there are lots of puppy mills. We're lucky there have been a lot of rescues over the last two years."

Haisley says there are about 15,000 puppy mills in this country, producing roughly four million dogs a year.

"This is an enormous industry and it's nothing short of barbaric and horrific," said Haisley.

Weitzman says most of these animals should be available for adoption later this month.

"Every animal that comes here is going to get into a home," Weitzman told FOX 5. "We'll do everything that we can to make sure that it's living the life that it's always deserved."

The U.S. Department of Agriculture inspects puppy mills, but only if they're selling to pet stores. Puppy mills are legal as long as the animals are being treated humanely.

Charges are expected to be filed in the case.

On the net: Washington Animal Rescue League

http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/local/100909_puppy_mill_rescue_dogs_arrive_in_dc

(Submitted by Sally Tully-Figueroa)

Puppy Mill Rescue Dogs Arrive in DC

83 dogs, 6 cats rescued from Arkansas puppy mill
Friday, 09 Oct 2009
Bob Barnard
By BOB BARNARD/myfoxdc

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Nearly 100 dogs were rescued from an alleged puppy mill in Arkansas this week, and now they're in Washington. Rescuers called it one of the worst cases they've ever seen.

They spent 18 hours on the road to get here. The animals were brought to the District in a big rig. Eighty-three dogs and six cats were taken from a property in Lamar, Arkansas, which is locaed northwest of Little Rock.

"Like any puppy mill, this is the worst that humanity can do to animals-- these animals were in horrible conditions," said Dr. Gary Weitzman of the Washington Animal Rescue League . "Maybe the worst we've seen and we do a lot of puppy mill rescues."

In fact, it's the worst of 15 puppy mill cases the Humane Society of the U.S. says it has investigated this year.

"We've rescued over 4,000 dogs from these hell holes," said Scotlund Haisley of the Humane Society of the U.S.

The Humane Society and Arkansas authorities raided the alleged puppy mill three days ago.

"These dogs have been laying in their own feces and urine their entire lives and as you can seem, it's turning into an acid and burning their coat," said Haisley.

The animals were in chicken crates that were stacked on top of each other. Rescuers say they had no veterinary car, no grooming, and of they didn't get food or water.

One of the dogs became stuck in her home, and she couldn't move. In fact, the matting from her coat grew on the cage and she had to be cut out. Another dog needed immediate medical care because he was dehydrated and had a very low temperature.

"It's hard to even fathom that people can act like this to animals or anything," said Haisley. "And there are lots of puppy mills. We're lucky there have been a lot of rescues over the last two years."

Haisley says there are about 15,000 puppy mills in this country, producing roughly four million dogs a year.

"This is an enormous industry and it's nothing short of barbaric and horrific," said Haisley.

Weitzman says most of these animals should be available for adoption later this month.

"Every animal that comes here is going to get into a home," Weitzman told FOX 5. "We'll do everything that we can to make sure that it's living the life that it's always deserved."

The U.S. Department of Agriculture inspects puppy mills, but only if they're selling to pet stores. Puppy mills are legal as long as the animals are being treated humanely.

Charges are expected to be filed in the case.

On the net: Washington Animal Rescue League

http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/local/100909_puppy_mill_rescue_dogs_arrive_in_dc

(Submitted by Sally Tully-Figueroa)