In Coffee County, Tennessee, on April 12, a complaint was made to the sheriff’s office about an incidence of animal neglect. When the police were on the property to see what was going on, they found a litany of violations of animal cruelty laws.
They called in an Animal Rescue Corps (ARC) team because of the extremity of the situation. What they were dealing with was absolutely horrific. There were dogs of all different sizes and breeds in horrible condition. The rescue team couldn’t even identify some of the dogs’ breeds easily because their fur was so filthy. Some of these dogs were locked in cages and lying in their own urine and feces. Some were locked in rooms with piles of trash, and some were in a barn without any windows.
The worst part is what they found in a wheelbarrow in the home’s garage. There were the bodies of 10 dogs who had died, and they were covered in maggots. Although this was terrible, they were able to rescue 85 dogs and puppies from that house, along with four cats. The animals were immediately taken to emergency veterinary care, and as soon as they are taken care of, they will be put in homes with people who will love and care for them.
This property was obviously a puppy mill. Sadly, there are about 15,000 puppy mills in the United States alone, and most pets in pet stores come from these places, which breed and neglect dogs.