On the evening of Tuesday, July 12th, the rescue group Save-A-Pet NY received a call from the Suffolk County SPCA requesting their support. Local authorities and firefighters had responded to a Hauppauge, NY house fire and discovered that it was home to 27 Dachshunds – some long-haired, some short.
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Gregory Goodwin, the Executive Director of Save-A-Pet NY, shared his experiences at the scene of the fire with BarkPost. He told us that upon arrival the stench from the street was overwhelming. Volunteers quickly discovered that the odor was coming from the house and from the 27 dogs covered in urine and fecal matter.
The owner of the home is a hoarder, and although his distress demonstrated that he loves his dogs, the situation had gotten out of hand rendering him unable to care for them adequately. Most of the Long-Haired Dachshunds were filthy and matted to the skin. None have been spayed or neutered and at least 1 is currently pregnant. The owner is facing 27 counts of animal cruelty with up to a year in jail and a hefty fine.
SAPNY took possession of 16 of the dogs, including the pregnant momma, and the Islip Town Shelter took the remaining 11, including a momma and her 3 pups. The dogs were described by SAPNY President Dori Scofield as outgoing, sweet, and well-nourished despite their poor living conditions.
Goodwin and the amazing team of SAPNY volunteers went to work bathing each dog, trimming their overgrown nails and clipping away their matted hair. Their efforts gave the pups comfort they had not experienced in far too long. Each dog was given a name, a healthy meal, and a clean, safe cage to rest their weary heads after the evening’s excitement. The devoted volunteers finally called it a night around 1 A.M.
The following morning, the rescue’s vet came in bright and early to examine all 16 Dachshunds. They were fully vaccinated and their stools were checked for transmissable intestinal parasites. Arrangements are being made to test the dogs for heartworm disease, microchip them, and schedule their spay and neuter procedures. Many of the dogs received second and third baths in an attempt to remove the lingering odor.
The pregnant momma dog has been named Abigail and is now awaiting the arrival of her pups in the comfort of SAPNY Executive Director Goodwin’s home. He will foster the lucky little family until Abigail and her babies are ready to be adopted.
Word of the rescue has already spread throughout the community and more than 200 applications have flooded in to adopt the dogs. Because each of the Dachshunds will require spay or neuter surgery and veterinary care before they can be adopted out, SAPNY is no longer accepting applications at this time.
They are, however, grateful for any donations, which can be made at www.saveapetny.org. For those who live in the immediate area, product donations of canned Pedigree dog food and paper towels are also greatly appreciated.
Follow the progress of the pups on the Save-A-Pet Facebook page.
Featured Image via Greg Goodwin/Save-A-Pet NY
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