A puppy mill in Macon County was shut down in which a total of 13 dogs were surrendered.
Animal Rescue Corps volunteers found the 13 dogs, mainly Chihuahuas, ranging from seven to fifteen year sold.
The elderly property owner, who has been breeding dogs for nearly 40 years, has shut down the breeding operation and directly reached out to Macon County Animal Control and Animal Rescue Corps to take the dogs.
They all showed signs of eye infections, skin infections, and dental disease.
ARC, a state licensed veterinarian, and Macon County Animal Control first visited the property in June of 2016 and found no criminal violations.
At that time, the property owners expressed interest in closing down operations due to health issues and their advanced age; and voluntarily surrendered one dog to ARC. No violations were found during subsequent visits by Animal Control Officers.
The dogs were kept in separate areas in a shed with access to outdoor runs. Some of the dogs were dirty with mild matting but the property owner had recent veterinary records and all of the animals had access to food, water, and shelter.
“They’ve been living in a puppy mill for years and years and many serious medical conditions are not expressed externally,” said Kim Rezac, Director of Animal Welfare at Animal Rescue Corps, “I’m sure we’ll find more medical issues once all of the dogs are thoroughly examined by our veterinarians.”
All of the animals were transported to Lebanon, where 34 animals rescued from a property in Illinois were already being cared for.
Each animal will receive a thorough veterinary exam, appropriate vaccinations, and any necessary medical treatment.
ARC will provide daily care for the animals until they can be transferred to shelter and rescue organizations that will ultimately adopt them into loving homes. Updates on the puppies can be found on the group's Facebook page.
