West Virginia Puppy Mill Rescue Operations Continue

In a follow-up to yesterday's post, the massive rescue operation continues in Parkersburg, West Virginia, where 1,000 dogs, mostly dachshunds, were seized from Whispering Oaks Kennels. Above are some of the residents in a photo provided by Best Friends Animal Society.
The owner of the kennel, Sharon Roberts, who has operated the kennel since 1961, claims that the bust was a "witch hunt." Excerpt from The Charleston Daily Mail: Roberts said "All these people got together and have been cooking this up for weeks." Sheriff's deputies from Wood County came to the kennel with a search warrant on Saturday, based on complaints that dog urine was polluting a nearby creek. The state Department of Environmental Protection also was involved in this part of the investigation.
But Roberts said the deputies also were accompanied by animal rights activists, whom she said were responsible for the destruction of her business. "Every dog was in very good condition," said Roberts, 72. "There were not any fleas. There weren't any skinny dogs. They had not been abused." Roberts surrendered the dogs - mostly dachshunds - to humane society officials, who criticized the kennel as being too large an operation. Read more of the he said-she said in an informative article at The Charleston Daily Mail.

Meanwhile, rescue organizations and volunteers are working 24/7 to provide care for the one thousand dogs and puppies. This photo by the HSUS at flickr seems to contradict Roberts' statement that there were no skinny dogs, but we should point out that it has been reported that most dogs were in good health. But honestly, just a photo of one such skinny dachshund is enough to let us know that these dogs were not being treated with the utmost respect and care that a dachshund or any animal deserves.

This is the video from the Associated Press.