Shelter Receives Outpouring Support for Dogs Rescued from Venango County Trailer

| December 18, 2018

VENANGO CO., Pa. (EYT) – The A.N.N.A Shelter has received a massive stream of support for the 51 dogs that were rescued from a trailer in the Utica area last week.

(Photos courtesy of A.N.N.A. Shelter.)

Volunteers from the A.N.N.A. (Association for Needy and Neglected Animals) Shelter in Erie were part of the team that participated in the rescue, which also included two Venango County sheriff’s deputies, Ryan Williams and Sgt. Merle Giesey, who are both also humane officers for Venango County, as well as state dog wardens and members of the Venango Forest County Animal Response Team.

The dogs were then taken to the A.N.N.A Shelter facility in Erie for medical treatment and eventual placement.

According to A.N.N.A Shelter Director Ruth Thompson, in the days since the rescue, the shelter has received a huge outpouring of support.

“It has been fantastic, the community has been so supportive,” Thompson said. “We’ve had way more support than we ever anticipated. The power of social media is just unbelievable.”

Thompson noted that while monetary donations for the medical care and support of the animals has been wonderful, there have also been other support efforts, including a donation drive at a tattoo business in the Erie area that ended up netting the shelter a number of needed items, from paper towels to a multitude of cleaning products.

Interest in the animals themselves has also been high, with over 270 adoptions applications received by the shelter since the rescue.

“We are in the process of pre-approving applications to find the best fit for these dogs right now,” Thompson said.

According to Thompson, 19 of the dogs were cleared by their veterinarians to be spayed or neutered on Monday. If those procedures all go as planned, those 19 dogs may be available for placement as early as Wednesday of this week.

Shelter workers are also working on foster placement for 21 of the dogs that were discovered to be pregnant. Thompson noted that they prefer the dogs to be placed in comfortable foster homes to give birth to their pups.

Among the other 11 dogs, one remains in critical care. According to Thompson, the dog that was found in the worst condition was being kept in a birdcage.

“She is doing poorly, but making some improvement and gaining some weight,” Thompson said.

The other ten dogs include ones that remain severely underweight, as well as several that do not currently have the temperament the A.N.N.A. Shelter considers suitable for adoption.

“We are still working with them,” Thompson noted.

According to Humane Officer Eric Duckett, of the A.N.N.A. Shelter, the conditions in which the dogs were living was “horrific” with serious overcrowding issues, cleanliness issues, and holes through the floors.

One of the individuals living at the trailer, Barbara Lopez, was arrested the day of the rescue, Monday, December 10, on a bench warrant for failure to pay fines and fees on a previous animal cruelty conviction. The other resident, whose name was not released, then agreed to relinquish the 51 dogs.

Duckett noted that some of the dogs had visible injuries and nearly all of them suffered from health conditions ranging from dental issues and dry skin to malnourishment and dehydration.

A message posted on the A.N.N.A. Shelter Facebook page also noted that some of the dogs also have deformations.

“One has only three legs; one has no toes; one has only one ear; two have only one eye; most have over or under bites; most have hair loss/dry skin; and most of the males have battle scars from scrapping with each other,” the post stated.

While the dogs are receiving the care needed and making progress toward finding good homes, the question of charges against the former owners is still unanswered.

According to Venango County Sheriff’s Deputy and Humane Officer Ryan Williams, the case against the owners of the dogs is ongoing, and charges are pending.

Duckett noted that charges in cases of this magnitude can take some time, as veterinarians have to examine the condition of each dog and submit individual reports of their findings for the humane officer in charge of the investigation to review in full before any charges can be filed.

“It isn’t as cut and dry as some other law enforcement,” Duckett said. “The specific charges depend on the condition of each dog.”


Copyright © 2024 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited.

Category: Community, Local News, News