A woman has been running a huge puppy mill. She came to the attention of local dog rescue groups when her old breeding dogs started showing up at shelters. She would shove a metal rod down the dogs' throats to break their vocal cords so they couldnt' bark.
Fortunately, she committed tax fraud, so hopefully she is going to jail.
In the meantime, local rescue groups have 15 of her dogs - and if all goes well (meaning she goes to jail) they will be getting 150+ dogs in the next month or so.
We have one of the rescues. She is only 5, but they had to pull all but 4 of her teeth. She was also filthy and under-fed. We are having to teach her things like walking up and down stairs and eating and drinking from a bowl.
Cavaliers are WONDERFUL dogs. They are the largest breed in the Toy Group, generally ranging from 12-20 lbs. They are incredibly gentle. They are good with kids and cats and other dogs. All they want to do is sit in your lap and cuddle.
This organization is looking for foster homes and forever homes.
As of now, they can't get the dogs b/c she hasn't surrendered them and they haven't been taken from her. I think a judge may be able to order her to surrender them, I'm not sure.
I yelled out loud, "Oh my God!" when I read the first sentence of your post. That is one of the most disturbing things I've ever read. Thank you for being involved in their rescue. Cavalier spaniels do seem like they'd be wonderful little dogs.
Our little foster - we're calling her Libby, short for Liberty - barked today for the first time! She's done a few little whines until now. So now we know that her vocal cords are intact!
Libby's new skills include -
Whining and barking for attention
Going up and down stairs
Things we are working on -
Eating on the floor - right now she insists on eating on the bed
Not getting urine on her head - not sure how she is doing that, but it's not cute
Libby's new skills include - Whining and barking for attention Going up and down stairs
Things we are working on - Eating on the floor - right now she insists on eating on the bed Not getting urine on her head - not sure how she is doing that, but it's not cute
Could one of the other dogs be doing it? I used to have one that would sniff her way through the grass & get close enough to the other dog to accidently get peed on.
Going up and down stairs is pretty scary if they have never seen stairs. Good for Libby.
Libby's new skills include - Whining and barking for attention Going up and down stairs
Things we are working on - Eating on the floor - right now she insists on eating on the bed Not getting urine on her head - not sure how she is doing that, but it's not cute
Sorry I laughed.
I'm in awe of what you are doing, I hope in the future be able to do some rescue work with animals.
I appreciate the complement, but don't be in awe! Cavalier Spaniels are amazingly biddable and gentle dogs, so even the traumitized ones are fairly easy to take care of. The people who rehab Pitbulls and other big breeds - THOSE people I'm in awe of!
So far, we haven't caught her rolling in urine or getting peed on by the other dogs. So we're not sure when or how it's happening.
Update: So, we are a failed foster, lol. Mom decided Libby couldn't live anywhere else, so we've adopted her.
Somehow, the lawsuit fell through so the rescue isn't getting all of the dogs. They are getting them in trickles. I think the "breeder" is more than happy to use the rescue as a dumping ground for her too-old breeder dogs and unsellable dogs.
We'll be attending a small Cavalier party. I am making themed soap inspired by the four Cavalier colors:
Tri-color, Blenheim (brown and white), Ruby (red) and black and tan.
The black-and-tan bar is scented with vanilla, the Ruby bar will be oatmeal, milk and honey, the Tri-color will be citrus and the Blenheim will be Green Tweed.