When more than 130 dogs were seized from a horrific hoarding situation in California June 18, it seemed the worst was over for the rescued German Shepherd and Collie mixes. But after just two weeks since their rescue, these dogs need to be saved again.
Life at the Rainbow’s End Animal Sanctuary in Apple Valley was no picnic. For years, the dogs lived together in a large pack, suffering from extreme neglect. Without proper nutrition, veterinary care or clean kennels, many of the dogs were sick when seized from the sanctuary-turned-hoarding nightmare. Some were in such bad health they had to be euthanized shortly after they were pulled from the Rainbow’s End property.
“It is extremely concerning when a self-proclaimed animal sanctuary fails to fulfill its commitment to the homeless animals it has accepted,” Chief of Animal Care and Control Brian Cronin said in a statement.
The surviving dogs are currently being cared for at the San Bernardino County Animal Shelter in Devore, Calif., about 60 miles east of Los Angeles. The shelter had to house the animals as evidence until last Friday.
But now space at the already-full facility is scarce, and the rapidly accumulating medical expenses have become more than the shelter can handle. Because of the extent of the dogs’ medical and behavioral problems, only licensed rescue organizations can pull the Rainbow’s End dogs and puppies, who range in age from newborn (born last Wednesday) to roughly 11 years of age. Groups meeting the proper credential requirements can take over custody of the dogs.
Animal control staff members are reaching out to the press, desperately hoping that caring rescue groups will step in and give these dogs and pups the second chance they so deserve.
“We’re doing everything we can to make sure they get the best chance at survival,” San Bernardino County Animal Shelter Supervising Animal Control Officer Doug Smith tells SBSun.com.
If groups do not come to the shelter’s aid soon, Smith explains, these only newly-rescued dogs will have to be euthanized for space.
Before their rescue, interaction with humans was extremely limited, so many of the dogs are quite timid, but not violent. Though these dogs have a long and challenging road ahead of them, San Bernardino Animal Control officers and staff members are hoping that with a little training and a lot of TLC, these dogs will one day be ready to go to loving forever homes.
Interested rescue groups are asked to please contact the San Bernardino County Animal Care and Control Shelter in Devore at 909-386-9820 as soon as possible. Organizations seeking to pull any of the Rainbow’s End dogs are required to provide their own transportation. So far, only three of the 130 dogs have been pulled by other shelters and animal rescue organizations, with several groups from Sacramento and Colorado coming forward in recent days.
Sources: SBSun.com, Daily Mail
