Hoarding Case Update

Slowly but surely the dogs are being rescued from the terrible situation here in Harney County I posted about two weeks ago. Many of the dogs have been transported to rescue shelters and Humane Societies in the Willamette Valley. You will find contact names and numbers at the bottom of this post in the press release.

Time could run out on some of the remaining dogs and puppies...if anyone can help with donations, fostering, or adopting please contact Melanie of Harney County Save A Stray Rescue at 541-589-1104.

These lil' faces are enough to make the heart

hurt for them...

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Harney County Hoarding Dogs Leaving White Christmas Behind

Multiple rescue groups convene to bring 20 of the dogs to warmth and safety.

December 22, 2009–Salem, OR–At least 20 dogs and puppies from the Princeton, OR hoarding case will be able to avoid a white Christmas this year – instead of burrowing under discarded lumber piles and huddling in empty 55-gallon drums to avoid the below zero temperatures and snow, the dogs will be in warm kennels, well fed and out of the elements while awaiting their forever homes.

Harney County Save a Stray will arrive with a U-Haul trailer-load of puppies and dogs taken from the owners’ property. The caravan will meet representatives from Greenhill Humane Society in Eugene, Heartland Humane Society in Corvallis, Willamette Humane Society in Salem, and Pet Adoption Network, a Philomath-based rescue group.

Each organization has committed to taking several dogs, each of which will receive medical exams and treatment and be temperament tested before being put up for adoption. The puppies will be going into a foster home with Pet Adoption Network where they will be socialized, receive veterinarian exams, and be temperament tested for a couple of weeks before being put up for adoption.

About 70 dogs were picked up by the Oregon Humane Society and taken to their Portland facility on December 9. Since then Harney County Save a Stray has been scrambling to find placement for the estimated 60 dogs and puppies that remained on the property.

Melanie Epping, Save a Stray Founder, has been begging for places for the remaining dogs to go. “Some are living in pens, walking on the beef carcasses that they were fed and on their own waste,” said Epping. “Last week it was 15 degrees below zero and there were dogs chained outside with only a 55-gallon drum for shelter. Our biggest challenge now is to capture the remaining dogs running loose and getting them transported. Any dogs we don’t catch and place soon will be killed – most likely by shooting them.”

Epping said the Burns Safeway manager, Merle Reid had six pallets of dog food brought in and donated to help feed the dogs.

One group of puppies will go into Cooper’s Boarding Kennel in Amity, OR where kennel owner Joan Cooper will help them get used to humans and also work on house training and general socialization. Cooper became aware of the dogs’ plight while talking with a PAN volunteer and decided that she could be of some help.

Epping said Save a Stray is looking for volunteers to help capture, transport, foster, socialize, and adopt a dog. At this point, time is running out for the dogs not already placed, and any help is welcomed. Contact Melanie Epping at 541-589-1104 or visit the website: www.harneycountysaveastray.com

Donations of food, supplies or money can be made to the individual shelters taking the dogs, or financial donations to the Save a Stray account at US Bank or mailed to HCSAS; PO Box 403; Burns, OR 97720

• Greenhill Humane Society: www.green-hill.org (541) 689-1503
• Heartland Humane Society: www.heartlandhumane.org (541) 757-9000
• Pet Adoption Network: www.pan.petfinder.com
• Willamette Humane Society: http://willamettehumane.org/ 503-585-5900

Salem Transfer Event Specifics:

When: Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Where: Lowe’s parking lot, 1930 Turner Road Southeast, Salem, OR http://www.lowes.com
Contact: Linda Watkins (Pet Adoption Network) cell: 208-484-2534