KINGSVILLE TOWNSHIP — The tiny body of a 4-week old puppy lay still, its breathing shallow and irregular.
Passed from one volunteer to another and finally into the hands of Ashtabula County Animal Protective League animal advocate Tammy Dondorfer, the puppy was on the verge of death, severely dehydrated and non-responsive.
“It was the most pitiful little puppy I have ever seen,” Dondorfer said. “And there were 16 other dogs coming in right behind it that needed just as much care.”
The APL rescued 17 dogs from a Callender Road property in Rome Township last week, Dondorfer said.
“The dogs were literally standing in the middle of the road,” she said. “They were just running loose in the roadway.”
Because the APL can’t legally seize dogs for any reason, the Ashtabula County Dog Warden Tabitha Hazeltine gave the dog owner an ultimatum: Pay 17 dog-at-large citation fees or turn the animals over to the APL, Dondorfer said.
“So the dogs came here,” she said.
Dondorfer said the dogs, which are mostly beagle/rat terrier mixes, suffer from a variety of ailments including malnutrition, skin conditions, lice, and heartworm.
“Some of the dogs are definitely not in the best condition,” she said. “A few of the dogs were living in an old truck. Some dogs definitely haven’t had a lot of human contact. Others are friendly and very adoptable.”
Dondorfer said two of the dogs — including the tiny puppy — were placed in foster care and one dog was taken to a rescue shelter. None of the dogs have been put down and all are undergoing the shelter’s intake and observation process.
“We are taking our time with these dogs,” she said. “We are giving them what we call a ‘cooling off period’ so they can adjust to shelter life. We have to remember that these were dogs that ran free and now they are in cages. That is a tremendous adjustment for them.”
Dondorfer said the mixed breed dogs are “adorable.”
“Some of these dogs are so stinking cute,” she said. “They are so little. Some of the dogs are already coming up to the front of the cages to see the people go by. They are curious and friendly.”
The dogs will not be available for adoption for another two weeks, Dondorfer said, and because a few of the dogs tested positive for heartworm, all the rescued animals will be heartworm tested.
The care and medical treatment of the animals will place financial stress on the shelter, APL board secretary Catherine Colgan said.
“You figure it costs the shelter $25 just for the intake process and vaccinations for each dog,” Dondorfer said. “Add in skin treatments, any heartworm treatments, behavioral evaluations, ongoing care and board and the bills will easily run into the thousands of dollars.”
To donate toward the dogs care send checks, payable to APL, to 5970 Green Road, Ashtabula, 44004.
Donations can also be made via PayPal at http://acapl.org.
The shelter, located at 5970 Green Road, is open Monday and Saturday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.; Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.
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