HUNTSVILLE (KFSM) — An an animal shelter in Huntsville will take in about two dozen of the nearly 300 dogs seized from a suspected puppy mill last week.
Paws and Claws Pet Shelter Manager Shonna Harvey said they’re expecting about 25 animals to arrive on Monday, March 14. All the dogs will eventually be available for adoption, but Harvey said she needs to see the animals before she makes any decisions about when that will happen.
Harvey added some of the dogs have heartworm and will have to be treated before they can be adopted. She said she will be setting up a fundraising account to help cover the cost of the treatments.
The Humane Society of the United States rescued the dogs and puppies March 3 from a property near Elkins. The dogs’ owner, Joyce Johnson, 67, surrendered the animals and is facing two misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty, according to the Madison County Sheriff’s Office.
The dogs were being housed in deplorable living conditions and were living in feces and filth without access to clean water and food, the Humane Society said. Five dogs were also found dead.
More than 50 of the animals will also go to the Saline County Humane Society, which also helped with the initial rescue, according to the Humane Society.
The Humane Society was made aware of the puppy mill through their national puppy mill tip line that was made back in December.
