Over 30 Puppy Mill Rescues Under ARF's Care

They didn't have a dog's chance, but now they do.

On Tuesday, the took in 33 of the over 150 dogs that were rescued from horrendous conditions at a Midwest puppy mill.

Best Friends Animal Society coordinates the effort through its Pup My Ride program, which saves dogs from large scale breeding operations. The dogs -- mama dogs, studs, and their litters, were spared from death or auction.

The puppy mills no longer wanted the dogs for a number of reasons from age, medical needs, or their inability to produce more puppies for market. “When they aren’t any use to them as breeders, many of them will be sold at auction or killed,” she said.

Shelters across New York and New Jersey have taken in the 157 dogs, picking them up off the transport in Armonk on Tuesday.

The rescues that arrived at ARF on Tuesday range in breed, age, and condition, from a 2 month old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel with whipworms to a 5 year old shitzu with a possible jaw fracture.

Ellie May, a 4 year old Bichon, arrived at ARF pregnant, "rail thin," with matted fur and bearing a strong odor, ARF's veterinarian said on Wednesday. "She has poop dried and smeared in her hair coat. You can see her feet are covered in fecal material and are stained."

"Every ounce of her energy is going to support her babies," Alward said of Ellie May's condition.

"To me, the important thing to remember is that when you go to buy a puppy, a little fluffy, white puppy from the pet store, this is the mother. This is the conditions the mother is kept in. So, by buying that puppy, you are supporting that industry and perpetuating this type of abuse."

Breeder  dogs  often spend  their  lives  in  chicken  wire  cages,  forced  to  reproduce  without  a proper amount of time between breeding cycles. The dogs often have poor veterinary care.

This is ARF Hamptons seventh time participating in such a rescue endeavor. They took in .

The rescued dogs will be quarantined for at least 10 days, during which time they will undergo necessary treatments and be spayed or neutered.

While those interested in them can submit applications now, the dogs will not be available for adoption for a few weeks. ARF has suggest keeping an eye on their website for photos of dogs as they become available for adoption.

WITH REPORTING BY RENEA HENRY OF THE WESTCHESTER PATCH SITES.