WEST OLIVE, Mich. — After a call from an Alabama animal shelter, 35 dogs are now safe at Harbor Humane Society in West Olive. The Goldendoodles were rescued this week from a hoarding and puppy mill operation in Birmingham.
The Greater Birmingham Humane Society contacted the BISSELL Pet Foundation about the cruelty case. The shelter couldn’t take the dogs in, so BISSELL reached out to Harbor Humane on Wednesday. A team was mobilized within hours to bring the dogs to West Michigan.
The dogs were used to breed countless litters of puppies and sold for thousands of dollars. The parents were neglected, and will need to be bathed and shaved before they are taken to other local shelters to find their forever homes.
35 rescued dogs taken in by Harbor Humane Society
“These dogs will never breed again,” said Jen Self-Aulgur, Executive Director at Harbor Humane. “They won’t ever have to fend for themselves outside, they’ll have a home, they’ll have a family, and that’s something that they wouldn’t have had a chance for otherwise.”
The doodles will eventually be available for adoption.
According to the Greater Birmingham Humane Society the owner of the dogs agreed to surrender the animals. It's unknown if they will face charges, but there is an open investigation into the case.
"The neglect and cruelty that these dogs endured in the name of profit is heartbreaking. Puppy mills tax our sheltering system and cause pain to the dogs and the families that unknowingly purchase sick puppies," said Cathy Bissell of BISSELL Pet Foundation. "If you want to find a puppy for your family, please consider adopting from an animal shelter. If you cannot find what you're looking for there, do your homework and find a responsible breeder that allows you to visit their property and see all of the dogs."
The addition of these dogs comes just days after Harbor Humane posted on Facebook asking for donations after taking in 19 stray cats in a single day. Shelter officials are reminding Michiganders to get their pets spay and neutered, and encouraging those looking for pets to adopt.
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