Shih Tzus, Schnoodles, More
(05/14/2009) A massive effort to save over 200 miniature dogs from a puppy mill in Missouri has resulted in 15 new additions to the roster at
 Kristina Lange
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the Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons in Wainscott. The purebred dogs will be up for adoption in about a week. Breeds include Italian greyhound, Shetland sheepdog, Shih Tzu, Pekingese, Yorkshire terrier, dachshund, Cavalier King Charles spaniel, and Pomeranian, with miniature pinscher, Shih-poo, and schnoodles to spare.
Mostly adults that had been forced to breed continuously until they had outlasted their usefulness, the dogs arrived with matted fur and overgrown toenails, and would have been euthanized or put up for auction by the commercial breeder if National Mill Dog Rescue had not intervened.
Kristina Lange, the director of marketing and communications at ARF, had received the call from Best Friends Animal Society about the dogs in March. “It was a massive coordination between actually six organizations, and just transporting the dogs from Missouri to New York was a major effort,” she said.
The dogs arrived in a tractor-trailer specially designed for animal rescue transportation at a staging area at the North Shore Animal League in Port Washington on Monday, where media, volunteers, and rescue organizations anticipated their arrival.
“Once they opened the back door, a lot of people had tears in their eyes, it was a joyous occasion,” said Ms. Lange. “A lot of them were very dirty, and there was a mini dachshund who had toenails that were curled around to the point where it could not walk,” she said.
This is the first time that the rescue organizations have attempted a Missouri- to-Long Island effort, and five other Long Island organizations also took in dogs. “A lot of them are these designer purebreds, and they felt very strongly that they would get them adopted” in New York, said Ms. Lange.
Since arriving at ARF, the dogs have been kept isolated in the basement from the rest of the population, and volunteers spent the day bathing and grooming them on Tuesday. After they are evaluated by a veterinarian, and in most cases spayed or neutered, they will be ready for adoption. Despite their rough lives thus far, “all their tails are wagging and they seem very excited to see human beings,” said Ms. Lange. “I think that they’re really going to adjust very quickly when they are placed into a home, they’ll just open up and make great pets for people.”
The new additions bring the ARF canine population up to 70, and an equal number of cats are there as well. According to Ms. Lange, food, towels, and volunteers willing to help socialize and groom dogs are needed.
“We hope National Mill Dog Rescue is planning to do this again,” said Ms. Lange, “so we may repeat this all again in two months.”