LONOKE COUNTY, AR - You wouldn't think any dog would be happy in a shelter but after the dry, hot conditions more than 130 dogs lived in on a Lonoke County farm, these animals couldn't wag their tails any harder.
"They were in a life threatening situation so they needed to be removed right away," said Humane Society of Pulaski County director Kay Simpson.
It's less than one day after the humane society seized the dogs. Many are already recovering from unlivable conditions deputies say they found at the Lonoke County breeding farm. The dog owner has not been charged, but Fox16 has learned she owns a local pet store. We found it locked up tight today.
"I called to ask her when she was going to open and she said she didn't know," said Ellen Jones, a woman shopping for a puppy who came across the locked Searcy building.
Back at the humane society workers are overwhelmed.
"Right now we're trying to determine which ones of the females might be pregnant," said Veterinarian Teresa Medlock. "The guys are working around the clock keeping them clean, keeping them cool."
Workers will stay at the shelter all weekend - answering countless phone calls, administering shots, cleaning cages and preparing for even more puppies to be born.
Simpson says only about 10% of the state's counties have either an animal control service or a humane society to regulate and step in when they find animals living in unhealthy conditions so the Humane Society of Pulaski County has to step in and do the rest of the work.
If the dogs are eventually awarded to the Humane Society of Pulaski County, Simpson says they could go up for adoption between one and six months from now.
