HUA Blog

Cubby was found motherless at only five weeks old.  He is one of many puppies who have been

recently dumped in the frigid cold Bottineau region of North Dakota along the Canadian border.  They all have had mange and are very malnourished.  Cubby was taken in by a family who realized when he was unable to walk that they could not care for his extensive needs, so they took him to animal control where he would have been euthanized if it weren't for a kind rescuer, Jackie.  Jackie took Cubby into her home and posted pleas for help.  Sadly, mange is the least of Cubby's problems.  All four of his legs are misshapen.  His bones are very soft and not forming correctly.  Cubby suffered malnutrition to such an extent that it effected his growth.

PUPDATE:  ROBERT REDFORD HAS BEEN ADOPTED!  Follow Redford's progress on his very own Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/redfordthegoldenretriever. Congratulations to Redford and his amazing new family!  Redford is now living in West Omaha with human mom and dad Brad and Gena, and Golden Retriever fursisters Lucy and Ethel.  Many thanks to Amanda Crawford at KETV for sharing Redford's story so that he could find the perfect family.

Stories conflict on what exactly happened to Harvey, but we know that on a car ride with his family he ended up outside of the car, with the car still moving but still attached to the leash which was inside the car. Witnesses said he tried and tried to keep up, but the car just kept going and eventually Harvey's legs gave out and he couldn't keep up. He was dragged for what witnesses report was approximately half of a mile, screaming for his life. His family didn't stop. They said they didn't notice. Animal control in the town finally got custody of Harvey.

We recently received a call from Dr Hord of Val Verde Animal Hospital in Lavista, Nebraska on behalf of his client Ron, and his dog Kehotay.  Ron is deaf and blind.  Kehotay, his guide dog, is at risk of losing one of his eyes.  Because he is Ron's eyes this was particularly dreadful news.  Dr Hord has been working diligently to save Kehotay's eye, but unfortunately the Pigmentary Uveitis (common to Golden Retrievers) was advanced when caught because Ron was not able to see the signs.

The scene was shocking.  Thirty three dogs arrived in wire crates in the back of an open pickup truck bed.  They had been on the road for nearly two hours in temperatures just barely over 30 degrees with cold rain pouring down on them as they made the terrifying journey to the meeting spot that the puppy miller had designated.  The rescuers were appalled.  The dogs were shivering, cold and completely panic stricken.

 

 

As they were loaded into the van to complete the last six hours of their journey to HUA, rescuers turned up the heat, comforted them and wrapped them in blankets.  They began to note nearly every dog had some medical condition.  Teeth were horrible, mammary tumors on nearly every female, a mangled ear, possible pregnancies and pyometra infections of the uterus, spinal deformities, jaws deteriorating, eye and ear infections, long nails, painful skin from lack of grooming, and several who are grossly obese.

 

Upon arrival at the shelter rescuers noticed that dear little Cindy Lou's legs were not working properly.  She is currently undergoing evaluation at a veterinary hospital.  First reports are that she has a mass on her brain stem.  She only has half strength in her legs and often does not know where her legs are.  The mass is causing mixed signals to her body which effects her colon and bladder.  It is likely inoperable.  Despite the bad news, Cindy Lou is so happy to be rescued.  She has been dancing around with her strange little gait and showering caregivers with kisses since she was rescued.  The veterinarians say at this time she is not in pain.  If not adopted Cindy Lou will be welcome to live out her days as a Sanctuary Sweetheart at HUA, where she will be warm, happy, loved and well cared for by the staff and volunteers.

 

Dear little Gloria's jaw is so weak and deteriorated that it is barely holding together.  She is at the veterinary hospital with Cindy Lou.  Gloria also has a genetic defect, no doubt passed on to all of the puppies she churned out for sale at pet stores, that causes her jaw to be shorter than average and her teeth not to line up.  It makes it hard for her to eat.  Today she will have an operation to remove all of her teeth, which are painful, rotten and infected from the years of neglect.  It will be precarious because her lower jaw is hanging on by a thread.

 

Brandy and Candy will be starting their New Year diet immediately.  They are grossly obese from years of being locked in a small wire cage with no exercise at all and being
fed cheap fattening food that was very bad for them.  It is a wonder they are still alive with all the stress that the extra weight is putting on their bodies.  Candy weighs in at 50 pounds and should be closer to only half of that.  When John at HUA saw these poor girls he immediately made arrangements to move them into a large condo unit with big spaces inside and out to run and play.  They are so obese that they may need to have some extra skin removed when they get down to normal weight.

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These precious thirty three dogs will have much to overcome as their bodies and hearts heal from the years of abuse and neglect they suffered at the puppy mill.  Their team of dedicated caregivers and veterinarians will make sure that each precious soul is given every opportunity to thrive as they experience comfort and love for the first time in their lives.  Their veterinary bills are anticipated to exceed $25,000.

 

Without your heartfelt support we could not help dogs like Cindy Lou, Gloria, Candy, Brandy and their newly rescued friends.  Your contributions help to rescue them from lives of misery and sorrow and build their bodies and spirits, giving them lives they never dreamed possible.

 



 

Visit our Facebook page to see the pictures of the dogs as they were rescued and as they arrived at HUA.  We will post updates as we learn more from the amazing veterinarians and caregivers who are working so hard to save their lives.

 

Thank you for supporting the newly rescued puppy mill dogs.  Your care and concern means the world to them.