HART Organizes Rescue of NC Pets - June 2010

On June 11, 2010, representatives from HART and Friends of Homeless Animals (FOHA) drove to central North Carolina to help an elderly woman who found herself overloaded with cats and dogs. As the primary care taker for another elderly woman in the community, she no longer had sufficient time to care for the animals. That is what we thought anyway... We received a call from a local cat rescuer midway through our drive at which time we learned that this woman wasn't just in over her head. She was a hoarder. Upon arrival, we discovered conditions were much worse than we anticipated...

UPDATE 12:45PM From Nancy: "We are at the house and it's really bad. There are at least 25 small dogs sectioned off into two small rooms. The woman does not want to give any of them up. We are trying to talk her into letting us have custody. She only wants to relinquish the bigger dogs."

"The air is thick with the smell of urine and feces. When I walk into the house my breath catches and I have to take a moment to breath. Bedding and shredded newspaper line the floors with no evidence of any recent attempt to clean. Some of the small dogs in the rooms are suffering with flea allergies and have significant hair loss. They seem interested in us but won't come close. I'm trying to get pictures but I'm afraid she will come in the house and throw me out. There are fleas everywhere jumping and biting as we move through the house. Worst of all is a half dead rabbit in a cage that she will not part with. The cat rescuer who alerted us to this situation came out two days ago and found the rabbit without food or water. He thought the rabbit was dead but was able to revive him. The rabbit seems to have some neurological issues. Some of the dogs we've encountered have unhealed wounds, presumably from fights and flies...."

"Outside conditions are no better. Flies are swarming around the badly chewed up airline crates that house the bigger dogs. They are under no cover. The provided water has not been changed in a while as the dishes are filled with scum topping the water. Fresh air is not even a reality out here either."

"We'll take everyone we can, but it will be a fight to convince this lady that we have better resources to help care for and mend these little neglected animals."

UPDATE 2pm From Nancy: "The van is full with 15 dogs and 3 cats. So sad that even with our effort we are leaving many helpless animals. There are 11 larger dogs left (at least 4 that she won't part with) and at least 20 small dogs in the house. We were able to talk her into releasing only one of the house dogs to us... a charming Cockapoo named Puppy. We will do our best to come back..."

UPDATE 6/12/10: See photos below, and more photos of the arrival at Greenbriar here (Thank you, Eric!). As you can imagine, we desperately need Foster Homes now, for these pets as well as the others we save from kill shelters. Please consider fostering!

UPDATE 6/13/10: The dogs from NC are doing well and enjoying time in doors and on grass. Several fosters report that their charges want to roll and roll in the grass. It is likely that these dogs haven't seen grass in years.

UPDATE 6/15/10: Got a call this morning from the local cat rescuer who alerted us to this situation. The woman released 2 more "house" dogs and may be willing to release 3 more. They are described as a 30lb beagle mix, a peke mix, and 3 cockers. One of which is very old with visible cataracts. HART WILL save these dogs but we don't have room now. Please let us know if you can take a foster.

There is also Alice who we left behind. It is an easy thing to rationalize and say that we did a good job. That we took one third of the animals. But human emotion is not rational... guilt is not rational and we are left with the images of those left behind. Please help us make a difference.

UPDATE 6/16/10: Thanks to Butch for sacrificing his time and body to earn favors from the hoarder. Each time he goes she promises a dog, then changes her mind. Then he works and cleans and sweats and she will turn over a dog. Still more to go...

Eric and Cheryl S are traveling in NC and will make a special trip to Randalman tomorrow to fill up their mini van. It looks like there will be 8 more arriving at Greenbriar between 1 and 2pm Friday. Thank you to A Forever Home for taking two more. Foster Homes still needed...

UPDATE 6/18/10: Completely unrelated to the the previous week's events HART takes in 2 dogs from an extreme cruelty case. There were over 40 hounds... only 9 survived. Please see Buella the young beagle and Coltrain the starving hound.

And then back to NC. Eric and Cheryle arrive on a hot but breezy friday afternoon in a Honda minivan with luggage and 7 dogs. Alice (now Alyce) was one of these dogs. I hope that she doesn't hold that last week against me but I understand if she does. Her minimal records indicate that Alice has been in that hell since she was weeks old.. she is about 5 years now. The others are Jasmine the adult cocker with a cute hair cut but terribly infected ears, weepy eyes and skin loss from flea allergies, Daisy the calm and shy beagle mix, given up by owner years ago with the understanding that she would be placed in a loving home; Tucker adult beagle/springer mix, Hefner the 14 year old cocker with no teeth and evidence of prior stroke (he actually looks really good for his age), Maggie May the young and quite small cocker, Reba the sweet little tibetan spanial type who loves laps and is walking around with a striped shaved down the middle of her back. These poor babies endured a a 5 hour drive and never made a peep. Upon arrival we noted the same syndrome... sweet and affectionate dogs, slightly shy, flea INFESTED, who've never walked on a leash or seen grass. The good news is that we got five into foster. The bad news is that 2 are in boarding. Their current accomodations are much better that their previous ones but it would be nice for them to experience a home... with grass.

UPDATE 6/20/10: Butch worked another 3 hours today taking down pens and as a reward she gave him the Rabbit!!! This poor creature will be vetted tomorrow... please keep him in your thoughts. She also gave him a little dog named Angel Girl (right) who is suffering from extreme hair loss. Angel Girl has been living in the bedroom with at least 8 other dogs and is flea infested like the rest. We don't have room for her at this moment... can you help?

UPDATE 6/22/10: Alice will be going to a new foster home. This sweet girl arrived at the hoarder's home at just a few weeks of age and lived in this pen (see photo above) for 5 years. She deserves better. Alice is now called Alyce.

UPDATE 6/23/10: Alice (now Alyce) is going to a new foster home this week, but 2 of the NC dogs -- and many of our other dogs, who are equally deserving -- still need loving foster homes. Every dog fostered allows HART to save another dog like Alice from a desperate situation. Please help -- donate, foster, volunteer, adopt!

See the Friends of Homeless Animals (FOHA) Blog for more info and photos on the NC Rescue.

Update 6/29/10: More info from North Carolina.
Below is an excerpt from a note from Butch in NC. Butch is truly a hero. He has worked and worked and worked to save lives. He also drove from North Carolina to New England last week to deliver the rottie (born without eyes) from hell to heaven. Just more proof that if we work together we can do more! WE are more powerful than ME.

Hi Nancy,

Last week I took two dogs to their forever home, in Kingston, RI. They both came from "The Hell Hole". Toby (3 year old blind Rotty mix) had spent his entire life in a 36" crate in the back hallway of the house. She gave Toby to me before you came down. Babe Ruth (7 year old Hound/Collie mix) was one of the outside dogs that she wouldn't let you take. He's one of the dogs she traded for "Sweat Labor." Becky & Brian paid for their vetting & my expenses to bring them to RI. Exceptional people, just like you and all of the HART Volunteers!!!!

Mr. Rabbit is doing great! The head tilt is permanent but there is no suffering. He does just fine. Had to have a nail trim and is in very good health, amazingly.

Angel Girl is on antibiotics & medicated shampoo for her skin problems. Her infected eyes are improving daily. Her estimated age is 5-6 years & 24 lbs. She is scheduled to be spayed later this week. My vet thinks she had been a breeder. I have located a short-term foster home here in the Triad, for when she gets out of the vet.

The 8-12 dogs still inside are constantly on my mind. She won't give them up for money or labor. Jasmine, Mr. Spot, Maggie Mae & Daisy came from the inside.

Kitty pulled the last 7 cats last Thursday. The total saved so far is 62 dogs/cats and 1 rabbit. But as you well know, it's the ones left behind that haunt you.

Thanks,
Butch

Please help us help them! Any size donation you can make is welcome and helpful. Donations are tax deductible and can be made by PayPal or by mailing a check to our office. Names will appear on this page thru mid-July 2010. PayPal donors: Please click the link below and put your dedication in the "Instructions for HART" box.

A HUGE Thank You to our donors!

Joy Reges
Carolyn Cyran
J, G & V, "Thanks for helping these animals!!"
Bart Cochran, in memory of Jake, a great dog
Corinne Sovey, in memory of Tommy the Pommy, the best little dog a person could ever ask for
Erin Mulligan
Alice Moore
Michelle Bracken
Emily Flickinger
William Eldard
Jennifer Eckhaus
Cynthia Tidler
Heidi Weber
Barbara Coughlin-Carter
Tiffany Tully
Valerie Bond
With love from Alexandra Aaron and London (formally Lyn, a Hart dog!)
Jennifer Roland-Morales
Butch Gilbert, "Thank You for helping these NC Dogs and Cats."
Cynthia McDonald, in loving memory of Amos Purdy, who passed away June 17, 2010
Harry and Ronda Shamansky, in memory and honor of Erik
Jill Sherwood
Laura Peck, "Thank you so much for rescuing those animals in NC! You all are God's angels here on earth."
Alison Fiedler, "Thank you for all that you do!"
Elizabeth Trollinger
Beth Gilligan
Heather Edmondson
Cor Jacobs, "In honor of Nancy. I had the privilege to see her in action in NC - truly awesome!"
Christine, "Please accept this donation in honor of a special dog named Rocky who brought so many people so much happiness and joy."

Note: Corrections may be sent to the webmaster.

Pictures of the Facility

The Happy Homecoming