NORTH CAROLINA DOG & CAT RESCUE
The dog pictured above is one of the approximately 40 dogs and 20 cats who were living in a hoarding situation in central North Carolina. What started as a safe-house for abandoned animals turned into a filthy, flea-infested holding area where animals were drinking green water, didn't have proper medical care, and were in desperate need of help.A plea went out to rescue groups to see if we could offer assistance. Friends of Homeless Animals (Friends), Homeless Animals Rescue Team (HART), and A Forever Home Rescue Foundation (AFH) were ready and willing to step in before the situation got any worse.
On June 11, 2010, Ren from Friends and Nancy from HART left Virginia at 6:00am and headed for North Carolina with a van full of crates, not knowing quite what to expect. When they arrived, what they saw was the type of thing you would see on Animal Precinct. There were fleas jumping everywhere, the living areas and water were filthy, and some of the dogs had open wounds on their ears from fly bites. A pet rabbit on the property was in especially poor condition.
Despite the volunteers' best efforts to persuade her, the woman who was caring for the animals was unwilling to part with most of them. Fortunately, they were able to leave with 15 lucky dogs and 3 cats.
A crowd of volunteers anxiously awaited the furry newcomers outside Greenbriar Petco in Chantilly, VA. The animals would need to be taken out for a potty break, given water, and transported to the three rescue groups.
At 7:20pm, the van pulled up, and the volunteers got ready for the dogs and cats, who at this point were celebrities in their own right.
Nancy from HART steps out of the van, which is filled with rescued dogs and cats.
Ren shows off the dogs and cats to fellow Friends volunteers Lisa, Rae, and Rebecca.
Smile for the paparazzi!
Yea, fresh air!
Ren gets to work handing the cat carriers to Friends volunteer, Sue, to take back to our cattery. They will finally have fresh food and water, plus clean litter boxes!
Lisa stands by armed with leashes for the dogs, who can't wait to get out of their crates!
The first canine passenger to come out is a large Bloodhound mix. Ren and Bonnie calm the frightened boy.
A HART volunteer carries a little Pomeranian mix out of his carrier.
Ren carefully removes the remaining dogs from their crates, and hands them over to other volunteers.
Friends' kennel manager, Kristina, along with Lisa and Rebecca, take some time to comfort the Bloodhound mix who was so nervous.
Rebecca and Rae hold dogs while they wait to be transported to Friends' shelter.
The dog Rae is holding is extremely scared, the result of little socialization with people. She has likely also never been walked on a leash. This dog will come out of her shell in no time, thanks to Friends' dedicated volunteers.
Lisa takes some time to comfort the dog she is holding.
This poor Yellow Lab mix is so petrified that he is afraid to stand up.
Just look at all of these wonderful, compassionate volunteers who spent their Friday evening rescuing dogs and cats. It does the heart good to know that people like these exist.
The skinny Yellow Lab mix who was afraid to stand is getting braver with a little help from Lisa.
Bonnie gets a special thanks for coming out to help, despite having to use crutches. Now that's dedication!
We made sure that each dog got a chance to drink after a long day on the road. We can only imagine how grateful they must be to have clean, fresh water.
This little Cocker Spaniel/Poodle mix is so glad to be given a second chance.
Kisses to the rescuers!
This beautiful girl can't wait to have a loving, forever home.
Cathy bonds with the Yellow Lab mix who was pictured standing beside the bucket filled with green water. She is SO glad to be rescued!
Here is a photo showing the dog's ear, which is bloody and raw from being chewed by flies. She will finally get the medical care she needs.
Aww, so cute!
This cute little guy was much more outgoing than most of the other dogs. He may be small, but he has personality!
Friends volunteers discuss plans for bringing the dogs to the shelter and processing them upon arrival. Our work is far from over!
We get ready to head out to the shelter, and spend a few extra minutes petting our wonderful new guests before loading them up.
It was already getting dark as several volunteers drove 8 dogs and 3 cats out to Friends. The sunset was especially beautiful that evening.When we arrived at the shelter, our wonderful volunteers worked together to vaccinate all of the animals, weigh them, give them dewormers, apply Frontline since they were all covered with fleas, and name them. Emily had already prepared food for each of the arrivals, and the bowls were waiting for them in their spacious, heated/air-conditioned kennels. Everything went like clockwork.
After all of the animals were fed, they snuggled up in their soft, clean beds. It was wonderful to see them begin to feel safe and loved.
It was an amazing day, and the volunteers went home feeling that they were a part of something very special. This was a true team effort, and it was heartwarming to see everyone rise to the occasion. A big thanks to Emily, Sue, Bonnie, Cathy, Lisa, Julie, Kristina, Dakota, Rae, and Rebecca who helped with this incredible rescue, and a HUGE thanks to Ren for driving all the way to NC and braving the fleas, filth and stench to rescue these incredibly grateful dogs and cats.
To view a video of the living conditions at the hoarder's house, click here.
To view a video of the rescued animals being met by volunteers, click here.
To adopt one of the dogs or cats rescued from NC, visit the Friends of Homeless Animals website at www.foha.org.
