For years the Auburn, Nebraska city dog pound has operated like many city pounds across the country - substandard at best. The strays of the city have been housed in the environment pictured here. A local woman had an arrangement to care for the dogs at the official pound. She took many of them to a property outside of town where she housed them in outdoor kennels with mud bottoms. Many complaints were made and little was done until today, October 23rd, 2009. The woman left town without telling anyone, leaving the dogs uncared for. The authorities called in Hearts United for Animals to rescue the dogs at the pound in town where they were found starving, cold, thirsty and emaciated. Officials estimate they went without any care, including food and water, for two weeks. The mother dog pictured here gave birth to puppies while at the pound. Hearts United for Animals rescuers found the pups to be very cold, thirsty and hungry. They are so young that their eyes are barely open. They cried and cried for help as the rescuers approached to take them to safety. As the pups were wrapped in warm blankets and given water they stopped crying and fell fast asleep in the van on the way back to the HUA shelter while being lovingly held in the arms of HUA rescuers. The mother dog is very thin and weak. She is a sweet girl who was so grateful for assistance. Mom and babies snuggled in for the night at HUA with full tummies, fresh water that they lapped up vigorously and warm blankets. The pups went without decent care for so long at a critical stage of their life that we just don't know if they are going to pull through, but we will do everything within our power to provide the best care available for them. We suspected that there were more pups in the litter, and later in the day as the investigation continued there were remains of 3 puppies found in a burn barrel at a property owned by the person who skipped town. In addition to the mom and pups three other dogs were rescued from the city pound, for a total of 7 taken in by HUA today. The others, two shorthaired black mixed breed dogs and one brown lab mix, were also dirty, cold, hungry and very thirsty. They are very grateful to their rescuers for coming to get them just in time. HUA has offered assistance to the city pound with animals who will come into their care in the future. The person who abandoned the animals is being sought and charges may be filed. In addition to the animals in the pound, animals were also confiscated from her personal acreage and transferred to rescue.
Mom and pups settle in for the night at HUA under the care of John Adams, one of their rescuers from HUA:
Photos of the Auburn City Pound as found today...
The main entrance of the pound in town:
Dog housing arrangements at the property where the other dogs were seized:
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Hearts United for Animals Box 286 Auburn, NE 68305 402.274.3679
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