by Aundrea Cline-Thomas
LEBANON, Tenn. - Volunteer workers have been nursing hoarded dogs back to health after being rescued from a Lebanon home. Officials found more than a hundred dogs at the home, living in deplorable conditions.
The dogs have been moved to a staging area at the Wilson County fairgrounds.
"There's a few that have pulled at my heart strings that are really sweet," said veterinarian Dr. Heather Robertson.
The 110 rescued dogs have never been examined by a vet.
"You see the teeth on these guys," Dr. Robertson said about a Corgi mix. "This is pretty normal for all the dogs so far. They've worn their teeth down because all they've lived in is wire."
Officials said the owner hoarded the dogs for years but finally decided to surrender them Tuesday morning to Wilson County Animal Control.
"This lady felt it was better to keep these dogs where they were," Dr. Robertson said. "These guys didn't have running water. They didn't have electricity and they were just left out there with no socialization, so she neglected [them] in that way."
Many of the dogs were suffering from mites, mange, and internal parasites.
"All of them have overgrown nails because they've been living on that dirt and rock. They haven't had anything to wear them down. No nail trims," said Robertson.
The good news was that better days are ahead for the animals.
"This is humans' fault. This is our fault," said Heather Oliphant, a volunteer with Animal Rescue Corps. "Anything I can do to correct it, even if it's giving them a bath in a kiddie pool, that's what I'm going to be doing."
Thanks to the Animal Rescue Corps, now there has been no shortage of love to go around – something it will still take some getting used to for the dogs.
The dogs will be at the fairgrounds for two weeks before being sent to shelters and rescue organizations for adoption.
The Animal Rescue Corps has asked for monetary and food donations for their volunteers. If you would like to help, donations are being accepted at the fairgrounds.
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