Desperate Situation in West Virginia — Pound Puppies and Kitties Need Homes Immediately!
This very desperate situation in West Virginia has shown up in a number of groups thanks to some more dedicated Dogsters like Dakota! I know there are more Dogsters who have been passing this message around. Thanks to each one of you, even if I don’t list you here. I apologize for that but hopefully I’ll catch up with you on another posting!
WV court case requires emptying out shelter for hoarder’s dogs.
Please help us before then as they must cross the rainbow bridge on June 23rd or 24th if not rescued! They are so young we’re not ready for that yet!
If you can help any of us, please contact Laurel because she will see to it that we get to rescue! Here is her email addy: hampshirecountyac@yahoo.com and here is the phone number you should call! (304)496-9379. We are all in the Hampshire County Animal Control located in Paw Paw, WV. They are rescue friendly so what are you waiting for? We are just waiting on you!
Follow this link to Petfinder to see dogs in need of adoption immediately!
This is located in the town of Paw Paw West Virginia, a town with a population of 524 human beings.
Can you imagine having to kill all these darlings in a town called Paw Paw? This is close to Hagerstown, Maryland and Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. If anyone has room to adopt or rescue one or more of the adoptable dogs on their Pet list, it would be such a blessing. It’s an easy drive to the D.C. area. There are many cats as well as dogs who need saving by June 23rd.
CONTACT:
hampshirecountyac@yahoo.comPLEASE CROSS-POST!!!!
This is a very small shelter in West VA; This is an extremely desperate situation. Please check the list of dogs and cats, and see if you or anyone you know can help.Respond to Laurel Melvin: hampshirecountyac@yahoo.com
THANX!!
Here’s more information on the situation in Paw Paw and why these pets are in danger.
From: Laurel Melvin
Date: Fri Jun 16 10:13:33 CDT 2006
Subject: Fwd: MENTALLY ILL HOARDER INDICTED; 40+ dogs & cats arriving at FULL SHELTERA Mentally Ill Hoarder is indicted !!!!!!!!!!!! His 40+ dogs and numerous cats are arriving at an already full shelter. All 40 dogs have to be held for a court date, so the ones there now have to be euthanized in order to make space for these new dogs!! The Hampshire County Animal Control tries very hard not to euthanasia, but they are out of space for this URGENT situation; The dogs have till June 23 and 24 !!ALL DOGS WILL DIE IF NOT RESCUED OR ADOPTED; please look at the dogs below and try to help, even taking one dog will help the rest. Contact: Laurel at 304-492-5442 or Hampshirecountyac@aol.com. Shelter cell is 304-671-4704 and main # is 304-496-9379
PLEASE HELP THESE WONDERFUL DOGS! Most Dogs are Very Rescue Friendly but will be PTS due to not enough Rescues and too many animals in this EMERGENCY SITUATION. Please help them. The more we can find a place for, the fewer will be put down. Thanks.
See list of dogs below-
Male, Mastiff mix, very people friendly, OK with some dogs, ignores, curious about cats!!Caroline- Female, White Shepard mix, very friendly, LOVES CHILDREN!!!
Babe- Female, Lab/boxer mix, just weaned from her 3 puppies, A great family dog!! Loves cats, dogs, and children!!
Clint- Male, Malamute mix, Very friendly, loves cats, dogs, and children!!
Dylan-Male Rott/shep mix, people friendly ONLY!
Harmony- Female, Lab mix, friendly, good with children, other dogs and cats.
Heaven- Male, Husky mix, friendly, good with children, other dogs and cats.
Toby- Male, Schnauzer mix, friendly, good with children, other dogs and cats.
Lucky- male, beagle mix, friendly, good with children, other dogs and cats.
Sadie- Female, boxer mix, friendly, good with older children, other dogs and cats.
Male-Pit mix, puts on a show in the kennel but is people friendly!
Scarlet-Female, retriever mix, friendly, good with children, other dogs and cats.
Timon- male, Shepard/collie, friendly, LOVES CHILDREN, other dogs and cats.
Wesley-Male, Shepard/lab mix, friendly, good with children, other dogs and cats. (not a good PIC, His ears stand up like Shepard)
Sprout female, wire haired Jack Russell mix, friendly, good with children, other dogs and cats.
Corky- Male, Purebred Hound mix, friendly, ignores children, good with female dogs.
Ernie female Chow mix, spayed, very people friendly, OK with some male dogs
Poppy-female, pointer/lab mix
Delia-female, shepherd mixDaisy Mae-female, treeing walker coonhound
Mackenzie- male, pointer mix, Neutered
Curly- male, yellow lab/shar pei mix, friendly does not like cats
Moe Male, yellow lab/shar pei mix, friendly
And many others! Including Cats and Kittens that will be put down on the 23rd and 24th!!
What was that man indited for? It wasn’t euthanizing one animal to make room for another, was it? Shouldn’t the court be responible for finding shelter to house them? What is HSUS doing? If this shelter is going to act this way, then it has become an implement of the court system, and should no longer be called a shelter. Do not investigate the hoarder, investigate those who intend to carry out this indefensible act. I would be interested in transporting to a shelter or sponsering, as long as I did not have to hear a explanation as to why anyone thought wholesale euthanazia was an acceptable solution
Valid concerns, Mark.
From the little that I’ve seen on it, it sounds like this is a very small community with very limited space in their shelter. From reading the listings of the endangered dogs at the shelter, it sounds like the shelter workers try very hard to care for and socialize the dogs and cats. But this number of new animals on the doorstep would be hard for one of the big city shelters, much less a tiny, rural one.
I just wish I wasn’t up to my legal limit of four or I would be tempted by a couple of the Paw Paw dogs, especially the treeing coonhounds. If a Dogster saves one or more of those babies I’d like to know!
But if you’re in a situation where you can save one or more Mark, please do so. I know they would appreciate it!
Thanks for barking in!
Does anyone know of an option to move these dogs and cats to other shelters?
There is a place near Bruceton Mills, WV called Star Ridge Animal Ranch and Rescue that may be able to help. They accept puppies and kittens. They usually have adoptions sessions on Saturdays at local businesses (Tractor Supply, etc.). Their phone number is: (304) 379-3322.
(The court system should force the owner to pay for sheltering his / her dogs and pay any cost involved with obtaining food or staff to care for these and/or shelter dogs.)
Is there somewhere else this can be posted so that as many people as posible will see it? If you have a website, please put a link to this on there especially if its myspace.com or someplace that gets lots of traffic.
Thank you everyone for being concerned and finding ways to save these dogs and cats! Please feel free to transfer this notice to any blog or online service that will take it!
If you know of a shelter or other group that might help, please call them directly and alert them to the situation. They would then to need to contact the Paw Paw shelter to arrange for the movement of teh endangered cats and dogs.
I’ve e-mailed and called all numbers provided for the shelter and left messages, but haven’t received a response yet. Has anyone heard from the shelter as to how many animals are still in danger?
Also, thank you Dave. I also left a message at the animal ranch you mentioned to see if they can help.
I have contacted the rescue group I foster for to see if we can help, but we are a long way away! I also posted this on my personal blog and e-mailed links and synopsis to virtually my entire mailing list, including pet places that send me e-mail in case anyone can help. I know the Purse Forum has been kind enough to post this as an “AD” on their pages, and the PF girls are trying to contact anyone who might be able and willing to assist these poor animals! LUCK!
I have talked to three shelters in Erie pa, and a fourth that did not return my call. No help from them, even though thier websites do not show that many dogs housed.
I think that all publicly funded and 501c shelters should be required to be in a network to manage his kind of emergency.
I have an animal abuse prevention club. I just learned of this today. It’s probably too late to help but I posted your link on my board. I just pray they get the help they need.
I just saw this as well, here in the N. Panhandle near Wheeling. I’m contacting a local no-kill shelter called Webark, though they’re probably strained to the limits as well, might possibly be able to take a few.
I’d take them all, if I could!
deb
UPDATE: I talked to Laurel. Many dogs have already been taken in to homes or shelters.
Here are the dogs most in need of adoption:
MacKenzie
Dylan
Wesley
Bryan
Kobe
Dixie
Poppy
Harmony
Babe Scarlet
Also, there are many, many cats in need.
Joy, call your local animal control/shelter. I know in Frederick County Maryland there is a limit of 9 but you can apply for a domestic license for more.
You pay a fee, bring in all the rabies certificates for your “crew” and they keep a copy and you are good for a year. YOu need to resend certificates as they expire and you update!
I just wanted to add my thoughts to this situation and that is laws are put in place to protect people or so people learn what is or isn’t acceptable.
Who in the heck was helped here? Who learned from their mistake(s).
I think it is a shame that someone in power can make such a ridiculous decision. Okay so the town or whatever is small but the judge should have given them ample time to rehome the babies that were there FIRST!
Rescuers are people volunteering their time cleaning up after those who should no better. This situation is just a court ordering others to clean up the mess not only of someone who should have known better but our legal system!
Sad, Sad day! JMHO, Christie
Furio, I just saw on another post from you elsewhere that the dogs and cats who need homes have been given a weekend reprieve so people still can rescue them over the weekend. That’s great! It also looks like a number of the furbabies have been rescued.
And I agree with you Christie! Its very frustrating that the ones who suffer are not the ones who erred or even the ones charged with cleaning up the problem (the courts).
I guess it just says that much more about animal rescuers that they don’t stop to ask who is in the wrong. They ask which animals need help? You gotta love ‘em! The rescuers and the animals they save, that is.
I’ve tried all through the weekend and into Monday. Is there any update to this? Honestly, this is so frustrating, so many of the kennels are full. I just wish people would learn some responsibility for these furballs, and have them spayed or neutered. All mine are rescues as well, but there’s only so much room for each of us personally, and not enough willing to take rescues. I agree, I’d take them all too, if I could!
I haven’t received any more updates but if someone knows anything, please bark in.
I very much understand your frustration Deb. We do what we can. As I’ve mentioned before, I am at my legal and personal max so it irks me too to see perfectly nice dogs and cats being put down just because some one was too selfish or whatever to spay/neuter a pet.
BTW, you’ll want to check back for the upcoming interview series with Ken Foster (The Dogs Who Found Me). He talks about these frustrations as well. He rescues stray dogs and finds them shelters or homes.
Fascinating interview with a man who lives a life many of us admire. Me included!
Star Ridge Ranch Pet Sanctuary was officially closed yesterday (June 30) with a warrant because of the deplorable conditions there. Many cats, dogs and bunnies not fed or watered for days. Many were already dead. Too many dogs in runs and lots of fighting. The Preston County Humane Society has been trying to move mountains to help these pets and save as many lives as possible. There has been nothing on the news yet about this situation. Was at the Preston County Shelter this morning delivering some supplies and area people have been volunteering their time and vehicles to transport the pets from Star Ridge to the shelter for diagnosis and treatment in order to save as many lives as possible. So much more is still needed.
DONT send anything to Star Ridge. The animals there were found living in filth, starving and eating each other to survive. Kennels and cages are filthy. Never send anything there. Hopefully it is shut down forever.
WARNING! Star Ridge Animal Rescue was just busted for neglect and abuse. Many dying animals.
Put it into Google news!
When will people understand that many of these “sanctuaries” are horror pits of abuse. NEVER leave an animal at one
Joy: This is a similar situation in Dade County GA. The location is the uppermost NW corner of Georgia. Thank you for publicizing the urgent need.
From: Marjorie Banks
To:
Sent: Saturday, January 06, 2007 7:24 PM
Subject: Fw: URGENT-30-33 DOGS ARE GOING TO BE PTS-HELP-DADE CTY-GA
PLEASE CROSS POST FAR AND WIDE
URGENT!!!!!!!30-33 DOGS TO BE PTS BY MONDAY. NEED ALL RESCUES TO PLEASE STEP UP AND HELP IF YOU CAN. I RECEIVED A PHONE CALL ASKING FOR HELP IN GETTING THIS PLEA PUT TO AS MANY AS POSSIBLE. THE DIRECTOR AT HES HAS GONE TO ASSESS THE SITUATION.
IT APPEARS THERE ARE SEVERAL PB DOGS THERE. I AM WAITING ON FURTHER INFO.
http://search.petfinder.com/shelterSearch/shelterSearch.cgi?shelterid=GA436&preview=1
I really hope that none of the animals from Paw Paw went to Star Ridge. I actually lived in Bruceton for all of my life till I got married 6 months ago, and frequently traveled through Paw Paw on my way to visit family in Virginia. Star Ridge was turned in for having WAY too many animals and not enough staff, food or housing for all of them. They were a no kill shelter, but they euthanized several of the animals. After they were forced to close, all of the animals were sent to the Preston County Animal Shelter in Kingwood WV, which is a kill shelter, but nearly all of the adoptable animals, if not all, found homes. I wish that I would have heard of this sooner because I’d have gladly recommended the Preston County shelter. The dog warden for Preston County is a wonderful asset to the shelter because she has out of state contacts that have contacts and so on, but it’s rumored that some of the animals adopted from Preston’s shelter have gone on to become stars in commercials, which is so awesome. I hope the animals from Paw Paw were all rescued in time!
I didn’t read all the way thru to the end of these posts to see that someone had already mentioned how bad Star Ridge was. I just saw the post from Dave to take them there and was outraged. At least pet lovers aren’t being completely fooled by what happened. I’m so glad to see that info about them made it into a national blog. Here’s to animal lovers who care about the wellbeing of all animals, not just their own!!
im am soooo dissapointed to hear about star ridge b/c last march i got my dog from them when they brought the dogs to petco n morgantown. my puppy was 3lbs when i got her and the vet told me she wouldnt surivive because she was soo little but she just turned a year old and now weighs 65 lbs…. she is by far the best dog ive ever had and alot better temptered than my pure bread dog that i spent tons of money on….. i wish they had a list of the dogs they still have if any because i was lookin for another puppy and wanted it from the same place….could u tell me what dog if any they still have????
I am interested in adopting a lab/lab mix puppy.