When the Animal Rescue Corps received an animal abandonment complaint in June, they hurried to the house in Morgan County, Tennessee.Here, they were horrified to find 32 animals barely surviving in appalling conditions.
Source: @ARC/ Amiee Stubbs
They saw four dogs who had been chained to trees, in addition to chickens suffering in wire pens, and a potbellied pig whose hooves had become horribly overgrown. They seized the animals immediately, taking 20 dogs, one donkey, four miniature donkeys, two ponies, a pig, three roosters and one hen.
Source: @ARC/ Amiee StubbsThe conditions in the house obviously violated the state and local animal cruelty codes: the floor was covered with animal faeces and waste, wet with urine, and there was no food or water to be seen.
Source: @ARC/ Amiee StubbsThe 73-year-old owner of the property, Jesse Gilbert, could not be found on the site, but he was later arrested and charged with 18 counts of animal cruelty.The 20 dogs found in the house by the ARC were apparently being bred for profit by Gilbert.
Source: @ARC/ Amiee StubbsThese poor dogs, who were mostly Chihuahuas and Chihuahua mixes, were in a desperate situation. They were extremely thin, dehydrated, and suffering from parasites, worms and alopecia.
Source: @ARC/ Amiee StubbsARC President Scotlund Haisley said:
These animals were on death's door when we arrived, but they're safe now and we're going to do everything possible to help them recover.
Source: @ARC/ Amiee StubbsAnd that they did: the dogs were taken to an emergency centre, where they will have a medical examination, vaccinations, and treatment if necessary. Once they are on the mend, these animals will be put up for adoption, where hopefully they can forget about their traumatic past.
Source: @ARC/ Amiee StubbsYou can keep up-to-date with their progress and watch out for details of adoption on the ARC'sFacebook page.Alternatively, help support their work by donating.