103 Puppies Rescued After Possible ‘Puppy Mill’ Truck Overturns In New York
A total of 103 puppies were rescued after a truck carrying them to Avoca, New York area pet stores overturned on the interstate. Two of the puppies were seriously injured in the crash. The Finger Lakes SPCA believes the dogs may have come from a puppy mill.
Puppy mills are large commercial dog breeding facilities where profit is most often more important than the general care and well-being of the dogs. Emily Woodrum of Missouri was driving the truck when it went off the shoulder of the highway and wrecked into a ditch while carrying 103 puppies, MSN reports. Police officers were able to pull all of the puppies from the wreck site on Tuesday.
Woman driving van carrying more than 100 puppies loses control of vehicle, causing it to hit a ditch and overturn https://t.co/fXnqCxq1UZ
— NBC4 Columbus (@nbc4i) January 27, 2017
According to the Finger Lakes SPCA, one puppy suffered a fractured jaw, and another sustained a leg fracture. Both injured puppies remain hospitalized at this time. New York State Police officers said three other puppies being transported inside the truck suffered minor injuries during the crash.
The Finger Lakes SPCA posted details about the crash and the current condition of the puppies on the group’s Facebook page. The organization said they puppies are expected to be returned to their out-of-state owner. Although the animal care group believes the dogs came from a puppy mill, the puppies did not reportedly show any signs of poor health during their medical examinations, the New York Daily News reports.
“While we too abhor puppy mills, we know of no means to legally confiscate animals only because there is a strong likelihood that a puppy came from one,” the Finger Lakes SPCA said in the Facebook post. “A formal release of ownership for these animals is being pursued.”
The New York State Police called in the local SPCA for assistance after being alerted to the accident that left the 103 puppies in need of emergency and immediate care. The animal rescue staff and volunteers, include a veterinarian from the Bath Veterinary Hospital, quickly responded to the scene after being called.
All 103 puppies were reportedly young and of various breeds. Many of the dogs involved in the accident were of the “toy” breed and other small breed varieties. Veterinarian Andrea Williams led the triage effort for the puppies. The two seriously injured puppies were stabilized after being treated at the Bath Veterinary Hospital.
New York State Troopers Save 103 Puppies From Wrecked Truck – https://t.co/DuzgBP6vYo pic.twitter.com/jSiodIwOXF
— Fido4Ever (@fido4e) January 27, 2017
“We would like to express our extreme appreciation to the New York State Troopers, T & R Towing, Bath Veterinary Hospital, FLSPCA staff and volunteers for all of their efforts to mobilize and quickly assist these animals. We would also like to thank our community for their concern for these puppies,” a release from the Finger Lakes SPCA also said.
The Finger Lakes SPCA kept 86 of the rescued puppies sheltered in an isolation area at their center after the accident. The puppies were given thorough medical assessments on-site by the group’s consulting veterinarian.
“Our agency actively works to prevent animal cruelty through our humane programs, the care of animal cruelty victims and by supporting area law enforcement with their investigations as requested,” the Finger Lakes SPCA said.
The transport company reportedly paid for all costs associated with the boarding and medical care for the 103 puppies. No further information has been released about the driver of the truck carrying the large number of dogs. New York State Police officers have not yet noted whether or not the driver will be charged in relation to the accident.
[Featured Image by Sommai/Shutterstock]
