The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has stepping in at the request of the Worth County Sheriff to help take away some 170 dogs at a breeding operation on border of Iowa and Minnesota.
ASPCA field investigator, Tim Rickey sums up what they found. “The conditions here are really just overcrowded conditions, unsanitary conditions, a number of animals with medical issues and a general lack of resources,”Rickey says, “both space, adequate food and water.” He says the dogs are all Samoyeds and have be subjected to cold weather in what he calls a “puppy mill” operation.
He says there are several barns on the property with kennels attached and some dogs can get outside, some can’t and some can go inside and outside. Rickey says this is a problem that has been building for some time.
“My understanding is the sheriff’s department has been trying to work with this individual for quite some time — I believe a year or longer — and it’s really just gotten to the point where the conditions have continued to deteriorate,” Rickey says. “And it’s really just gotten to the point where they are not able to or not willing to provide adequate care.” Rickey says the ASPCA is evaluating all the dogs and it appears like they will be able to survive with some help.
“This is a pretty dire situation and I’m just glad that we’re able to be on the ground today and help these animals get out of this situation — and hopefully into a much better environment and hopefully into a forever home,” according to Rickey. The sheriff has not identified the owner of the breeding operation and says animal neglect charges are pending based on evidence collected by the ASPCA.