Time is running out for these young dogs. They have to be rescued from the property before March 15th – or they will be euthanized…
With the recent economic downturn, some pet owners have had to make difficult choices, while
others have abandoned their pets altogether. In Harney County, Oregon, a rural property owner
found that unaltered dogs were showing up on his property. Pet owners were dumping their dogs
on the 195-acre plot of land without a backward glance or thought. The property owners became
overwhelmed when the ever-growing population ballooned to more than 200 free-roaming dogs who
were in desperate need of food and shelter. With limited resources to feed such a large pack of
animals, the property owners bought and threw out carcasses to feed the hungry dogs. The combination
of sparse shelter and scattered carcasses created a gruesome sight. When local animal agencies stepped
in to help, the relieved property owners were cooperative and helpful with dog-catching efforts.
How do situations like this happen? With pregnancies lasting only 9 weeks and brief intervals between births,
one female dog can produce up to four litters per year. With such rapid reproduction rates, two unaltered dogs
can swiftly turn into several dozen within less than one year and several hundred within just a few years. While
approximately 120 of the original 200 dogs have been captured and transported to various shelters and organizations,
there are still more than 70 feral dogs who need to be rescued.
Tragic situations like this reveal the importance of our aggressive spay/neuter efforts. The Spay Station is some of the most important work that we do here at Pasado’s, and free or low-cost spaying and neutering saves thousands of lives every year. Harney County, Oregon, also has a large feral cat population, and Pasado’s will be sending one of our Spay Stations down to help with the local population explosion. Pasado’s advocates spaying and neutering all pets. Unaltered female dogs are more susceptible to cancer and uterine infections, and all altered animals live happier, healthier, longer lives without contributing to pet overpopulation. Click
here to read more about the Spay Station.
This widespread rescue has been a collaborative effort with several local animal rescue agencies. Harney County
Save-a-Stray has been instrumental in this unprecedented case, and they are in desperate need of funds. Donate to Pasado’s and we will ensure that Harney County
Save-a-Stray receives the money that they need to continue their life-saving efforts. Byron of the Washington State Animal Response Team, or
WASART, has also assisted with rescue and transportation. WASART graciously offered to return to the site and transported 7 puppies to Pasado’s. The journey was 9 hours each way, for a total of 18 hours that WASART was on the road, ensuring these sweet pups made it to a safe haven.
When the puppies first arrived at the sanctuary, they were terrified. We brought them to one of our warm, quiet dog cabins, where they huddled together beneath one dog cot. These pups will need help becoming socialized and learning that they can trust people, and Pasado’s will have a trainer work with them while they are on-site. What these four-month-old pups need most, though, are foster homes where they can learn what it means to be a cherished member of the family. Click
here if your heart and home have room to foster one of these pups.
The dogs who remain at the rescue site are all believed to be Australian Shepherd mixes who are under the age of three. Even though these dogs have had minimal human contact, Australian Shepherds are renowned for their intelligence and faithfulness. These young dogs show a lot of promise, and if you are interested in assisting with socializing them, click
here to find out how.
Large-scale rescues like this one require collaboration, dedication, and support. Your donation will ensure that each life is spared before the clock runs out. Thank you for your support. Together, we can make a difference.
(don't forget
to ask your employer
to match your donation)
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