A modest cinderblock house with no power or plumbing sits on a property in Lawrence County, Alabama. Until recently, the yard around this house was overrun with dogs, all of whom were in serious need of assistance.
When rescuers from the county came last month, the dogs resembled moving statues. All of the about 30 canines had such bad mange that they appeared to be plastered.
“Almost all of the dogs were hairless. “Puppies were found nursing different mama dogs – they went to whichever momma dog was closest,” Guardians of Rescue, the charity assisting the canines in their recovery and adoption, stated on Facebook last week.
Fleas and parasites were all over the dogs, and they all had sarcoptic mange. Many of the dogs were too afraid to approach the individuals who were attempting to help them. Animal control officers had to capture a few of the canines in order to get them help.
“Nobody really knows why they let these dogs to come to this stage, but they will no longer suffer,” Guardians of Rescue president Robert Misseri told The Dodo, noting that the people who lived on the property were arrested and charged with animal cruelty.
The canines could not all be saved: “Several of the dogs were in such bad shape that they regrettably did not survive,” Guardians of Rescue wrote.
The pets that did survive are nonetheless scarred by neglect, both physically and emotionally. One dog appeared too terrified to even move his head after being rescued.
Because Lawrence County lacks a rescue centre, Guardians of Rescue is assisting in the placement of the dogs so that they can be treated for their ailments and finally adopted.
One dog was rescued just in time for her puppies to be born.
“Love and medical treatment are helping the pets,” Misseri continued.
Even after such anguish, the dogs are beginning to lift their heads, as if anticipating a new existence.
The canines were practically unrecognizable after several weeks of treatment and regaining people’s trust. And many of them began to look for families.
“You can tell how their skin has altered after several of the dogs have been adopted,” Misseri remarked. “They’re doing fantastic.”
