Animal Shelter Employees Rescue Dogs From Puppy Mill

CANTON, GA — Cherokee County Animal Shelter employees traveled to a south Georgia county to help rescue hundreds of dogs that were suffering in appalling conditions in a suspected puppy mill.

The Animal Shelter's rescue and transport trailer was requested to aid at a location unearthed in Montgomery County, which is located along Interstate 16 between Savannah and Macon. Cherokee employees, Melissa Haller and Sherry Taylor, transported the trailer to the county where it was used Jan. 6-7.

Jay Baker, spokesperson for the Cherokee Marshal's Office, said both women helped in microchipping, vaccinations, and coordinated the arrival rescue-related resources coming from multiple states.

(For more news like this, find your local Patch here. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here)

According to Fox 24, at least 400 German Shepherds were found on a half-acre property near Vidalia. Along with finding the remains of several pups, the surviving animals were subjected to "inhumane" conditions, including extreme weather and inches of mud mixed in with feces and urine.

The Animal Shelter's trailer includes equipment that allows employees to examine and process animals. It can also allow for the transport of animals of various sizes in different kennel setups. It was purchased with donations from the shelter's supporters.

The Cherokee Marshal's Office added these puppy mill cases demonstrate why the Animal Shelter asks the public not to buy pets from "flea markets, unchecked and unverified internet sites or any 'site-unseen' breeding situations."

“Puppy Mill cases continue to be an ongoing problem. Breeders can only stay in business with demand their product," said Animal Shelter Director Sue Garcia. "We urge people to do some research not only into what type of puppy they want, but where the puppy was bred before making their purchase.”

See also:

• Canton Bans Retail Sale of Cats, Dogs
• 357 Dogs Found Living in "Deplorable Conditions"

Images via Cherokee County