Finally, IT IS CLOSED!
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(outside)

Sadly, many dogs lived in these deplorable conditions. Imagine the heat we had this summer and the poor dogs stuck inside these makeshift kennels with little ventilation. Refrigerator grates and pallets formed the interior walls. Their bedding (and sometimes their food) was packed down feces and dirt.

(inside)

Their shelter was less than ideal and enabled parasite infestations, heartworm, bacterial infections, and more. Several dogs had visible tumors; permanent disfigurements from fence fighting; skin abnormalities; and one even was missing a large portion of her tongue. These dogs rarely if ever saw a vet or even grass or felt the joy of a kind pat on the head or holding a toy in its mouth.

 

(dog tied inside with no water or food)

ARWNY was able to close this kennel down. We do, however, need your financial and emotional support. This was not an easy task for any of the small group of volunteers who assisted. All proceeds from this Fall October Auction will go towards the expenses incurred in this closedown and for the resulting dogs in our care. We will soon have a page dedicated to this shutdown. Until then, please treasure the dogs in your care with kindness and love. Send ARWNY some positive energy to get us through this ordeal, and support our cause to end all puppymills.

We would not leave, we could not leave, thinking this may continue. HERE IS PROOF TO US -- IT IS OVER AND ENDED!!

 

URGENT -- MISSOURI NEEDS YOU!!!

It was yet another sad day -- a day that had blue skies for us as we walked forward with our bellies full and our bodies healthy to check out yet another "pet dealer!" Yes we had taken dogs before from here when the numbers had been reportedly close to 400 and had gotten reduced to an admitted 288. Sad part is that the licensing authorities have not closed this establishment down. Well we can only tell you what our vets will confirm, what the foster parents confirm, what our videos confirm, what our cameras confirm, what our rescue colleagues in other breeds confirm, what the 13 dogs in our care confirm -- these dogs are not given adequate shelter, adequate food, adequate water, adequate vet care. As of 2/27/03 we had spent $25,037.14 on these dogs and now we had 5 more. 

   

But one dog -- Missouri -- made me question what rescue is really about. Is it just to take the young dogs under 2 years of age from shelters and rehome them? Is it just to take the easily placeable dogs? I DON'T KNOW!! I cannot pass judgment on what others do but I can pass judgment on myself -- LYNNY, MONA, AND I COULD NOT WALK AWAY AND LEAVE MISSOURI! Missouri is 9 years old. She has never known love, affection, happiness, what a warm bed is or what a regular meal is that is not served wet from rain or filled with snow/ice or on the ground. Heck -- these dogs do not even know what a dish is! Missouri has a bad eye. Yes there is a lot of technical terms I could throw out but the bottom line is her eye needs to be removed so she can be pain free. Then she had a choke chain tightened and rusted on her neck. Then we have her teeth. Her teeth are bad and fractured from years of poor nutrition. She has mammary tumors/cysts, needs to be spayed but the vet has advised in writing against that, has skin infections, is filled with whip/round worms, has muscle atrophy and a bad knee. 

    

I know what you are thinking -- why not just let the poor thing go across the bridge to a better place. I thought it too. I authorized the vet to put her to sleep. I signed the papers and dated them. We sat there on the blanket in the vet's office awaiting the return of the vet to put her down. And then, bless our newest member Jolene, who at the ripe old age of 20 had the wisdom of the universe. Through the tears she uttered these words, "IT ISN'T FAIR!" Three small words that meant more than most volumes. AND JOLENE WAS RIGHT!

Missouri would run on the leash, walk up to anyone and kiss them all over and even being feces covered and probably never having a bath in her life you just had to hug her! She is HAPPY! I cannot figure out why. She defies all logic and everything that a "pet dealer" dog should be. She should be afraid from the years of no socialization. She should not be acting like this -- happy go-lucky with a zest for life and a love for all humans and dogs and kids! True love!

 

So what could we do -- we could not put her to sleep. Stupid -- I probably am. But I do have a heart and it was breaking and I just couldn't! If she has to live with me forever, then so be it. For now, we have an amazing woman -- AMY -- who has had her share of fosters and many of the hard luck cases. She is willing to foster our girl. The local boarding kennel who has been our foundation of strength came through and is fostering Missouri until she can get to Amy. We will remove her eye on the 10th, will have her teeth fixed (I hope she doesn't need braces!!), will treat the skin infections and parasite infections. And then we will go from there. But one thing she desperately needs that we cannot provide alone -- she needs YOU!! She needs someone willing to share their heart and home with one of the happiest dogs I have met! She needs someone to say -- ENOUGH -- Miss Missouri has been through enough and I will love her for however long she has.

 

I am begging now -- yes for Missouri's sake I will beg! I beg you to come forward and open your home to this girl. Show her that not all homes are puppymills. Lets show Missouri together that she has made a difference and has shown us mere mortals the essence of life -- love unconditionally and be happy!