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Hi All,
First let me ask everyone to
send this message to any person, rescue, list, etc. that you think might be
interested in helping these animals. This is Cocker/Guardian dog
related as well as many others.
Yesterday, Jennifer Robbins and
I went to the Harrison County Humane Society after seeing pictures of some pups
they had that resembled Great Pyrenees. It turned out the
markings were all that really made them look like this, they were way too
small, etc., probably Jack Russell mixes.
Anyway, we really liked the
atmosphere and cleanliness of the place. It's almost like a house, they
have a big fenced in yard the dogs are taken out to play in, they're given
baths, played with, plenty of food and water, clean indoor/outdoor runs.
Same with the cats except they're not in runs. Everything is clean, calm
and smells good.
I gave them my name and number
and told them if they ever get any Cockers, Pyrs or mixes of either to let me
know so I could contact rescue. They have us on their list and gave an
example such as they have several cats at this time so now they're calling
everyone who's wanted a cat so this reassured me that they will call if these
breeds turn up.
We then went down the drive to
the "Dog Control Center".
In short, we were
appalled!! (I must tell you that tears come to my eyes as I have to think
about it to write to you all about this.) The conditions these dogs are in
just blows my mind. We are in the process of finding out who's in charge
and what the rules are. Below I will provide a list and description of the
dogs we saw yesterday so that if anyone is interested or knows of anyone or
rescue that is, we can go get them out of there.
First, at the Humane Society, as
I said everything was clean, smelled nice the animals were bathed and played
with not to mention fed and access to comfortable beds.
Now for the pound. They
don't have a fenced in yard like the HCHS, they do have several indoor/outdoor
runs, however....
We walked in and the employees were playing around
at something. I just know, we walked in the door and the guy at the front
desk greeted us while some other guy popped in from a back office/room and then
ducked back in exclaiming "why didn't you tell me someone was out there" before
we could even tell what was going on. So we asked to see the dogs, he says
O.K. and takes us through the door, now I hear "you did say dogs, right"
we said yes and were guided to another door and instructed to turn on the lights
when we walked in. It was pitch dark and smelled of everything
imaginable! A few runs had single dogs, two were empty (one being the
"quarantine" that was right by everyone else with junk stashed in it, most had
at least two but usually several dogs to one run and weren't permitted to the
outside part of the runs! They never get a break from the smell, the
darkness or the noise this room echoes. The sound was worse than being at
an indoor dog show and all the dogs bellowing at once. Sorry, just the
only way I knew to describe it. We could not hear, so you know how bad
their ears ring.
The floor was, of course,
concrete but there was only one small pipe and fabric type "bed"
for these many dogs, most very large, too large for even one to fit on the
bed. Many of the beds, however, were folded up and not even let down for
the dogs and some of the runs had no bed. There was one rabbit type feeder
and one water bowl per run, all had water that I noticed but most had very
little food and some had none. They were all dirty, most filthy and
smelly, some quite timid and a few aggressive to one another although nice to
us. One litter must have just been caught and thrown in the run completely
wild, all together and growled from just being looked at or talked to
sweetly. Not even sure if a few of those pups were alive as they were all
piled on top of each other and one or two were crammed underneath the
bed.
We were in there for quite a
while, kept the guy past quitting time, talking to the dogs, looking over them
and taking notes. A few acted too timid to try petting at first but after
a while of Jen and I talking to them they came around, actually wagged their
tail and asked to be pet.
Oh, there was poo no one
bothered to clean up either....right on the bed.
The description given most of
these dogs was due to coloring or something, sometimes that didn't even make
sense. We couldn't tell with them all but I believe we took greater pains
in trying to figure out what they might be than the people working there
did.
I believe every animal should
have a chance but if euthanasia is a must, it should at least be done in humane
conditions with friends around when you go. These dogs deserve to be let
out in the outer part of their runs, to be bathed, to have their runs thoroughly
cleaned and disinfected everyday, to have plenty of food and water for each
animal, adequate and comfortable bedding, if there isn't enough runs to
then be paired with compatible personalities and to have playtime outside in a
fenced "yard" with people everyday.
We didn't get to see the cats at
the "Dog Control Center" yesterday but plan to sometime this week, I can just
imagine! Of course, they deserve wonderful, clean treatment and
socialization as well.
Below is a list of the dogs
there yesterday and our descriptions of them. I'm not sure on
the female/male status of all of them.
1st run: Shar-Pei; black, short/medium coat, nice, has cherry eye in
both otherwise beautiful red-brown eyes, docked tail.
(rt. side) Husky; gray and white, typical husky markings, medium coat,
blue eyes, nice.
Chow mix; Apricot is the best I can think,
medium/long coat, nice although somewhat reserved
These guys got into a few scuffles
but were easily quieted by Jen or I.
2nd run: Collie mix; sable, long coat, nice to people
German Shepherd mix; light tan/sable with black,
short/medium coat, possible Anatolian Shepherd or something in the
mix, very large and loveable, huge head, sweet face, nice to
people.
These guys tolerated each other but
would then get in big fights. We finally got them broke up but they had a
big grudge. We told the employee as they had an open run but he said the
warden found them together and thought they might even be related....can you
believe this....that they were probably just fighting for attention and kept
them together, they probably killed each other last night.
3rd run:
Doberman mix; black/brown and tan, short coat,
natural ears, nice
Collie; sable and white like
Lassie, long coat, nice
Both very sweet and loving. The
Collie is calm and the Dobie just craves attention, yet calm.
4th run:
Rottweiler; black and tan of course, short coat,
nice, very friendly, tail docked
Rott pup; her puppy, black with
tan points, short coat, nice although a little shy, might be mixed, tail
left long
Guess the pup was the last of the
litter the owners couldn't "get rid of" even though it was all of 4-5 weeks old,
didn't want to spend $50.00 on getting the Momma spayed and took them both to
the pound.
5th run: Black and tan mix; short coat,
nice
Possible Shepherd mix; tan/sable with
black, short/medium coat, nice
Several small Beagle mix puppies; all colors including the
"pink" (Billy breed) coloring, short coat, nice
Blk/tn and Shep are very friendly,
the pups act friendly but were all huddled together in the front of the run
trying to sleep.
6th run: Catahoula Leopard Dog/Shepherd (Anatolian, maybe German)
mix; Large, very friendly and gentle, color markings
like a
Catahoula, short/medium coat, nice
Very loving dog, starved for
attention but still very loving and really gentle.
7th run: Cocker/Terrier mix; black with a touch
of white on chest, long/soft coat, nice, happy, "half tail" not short and not
long
Basset Hound mix; possibly with
Beagle, black/tan/white, short coat, nice
Both these guys/gals are very
friendly, have probably been pets.
8th run: German Shepherd/Collie mix puppies;
several light and dark sable, short/medium coat, one black, medium/long
coat
All huddled together in the back
trying to sleep, some may come around, one liked to growl.
9th run: Dachshund mix puppy; black with tan
points, soft/long coat, small, cute, nice
(lft.
side) Extremely friendly yet extremely calm, very sweet.
(in back)
10th run: Poodle; white, soft, medium/long, curly
coat, older, natural tail, nice
A little timid at first, warmed up
and was very friendly. Has probably been the pet of some nice old
lady.
11th run: Empty
12th run:
Doberman mix; possibly with hound, refined, black and
tan, short/medium coat, natural ears, shy yet nice
Dobie mix puppies; hers probably,
black and tan, short/medium coat, natural ears but Shepherd type,
nice
Mom, friendly to people, was a little
defensive of her pups with other dogs. Puppies, very friendly, loved
attention.
13th run:
Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever; possibly mix,
liver/chocolate, medium/long/soft coat, nice
Very friendly and loves
attention.
14th run: Havanese/Bearded Collie mix; looks
something like Bolognese or Polish Lowland Sheepdog, black and white,
long/soft
coat, nice
Small German Shepherd mix; light
sable with black "saddle", short/medium coat, nice, a little
shy
First one is very friendly and
happy. Second one is a little shy but friendly.
15th run:
"Quarantine". Empty.
Some of these dogs' last day is
today, some have until Thursday or Friday and some are "at their
discretion". Many "acted up" with the employee while becoming much calmer
if we took them, petting, scratching and mooching at them.
Any help would be
wonderful.
Thank you,
Chrissy
Cocker Spaniels and Great Pyrenees
Chrissy McConnell
Route 2, Box 30
West Union, WV 26456-9508
Phone: (304) 873-2727
Fax: (304) 873-2727*14
E-mail: mapleway@iolinc.net
Jennifer Robbins
HC-68 Box 12 West Union, WV 26456 Phone: (304) 873-1424 |