INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Nearly all of the 12 dogs transported to the Humane Society of Vero Beach and Indian River County (HSVBIRC) last week after being rescued from a large, substandard breeding facility in Clewiston, Fla., have found homes along the Treasure Coast.
A group of mostly Chihuahua mixes, Lhasa Apso mixes, Maltese mixes, Corgi mixes and bulldog mixes were rescued in November.
Both owners of the breeding facility were arrested on cruelty-related charges after investigators from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) and local law enforcement discovered more than 100 neglected dogs living in filthy conditions.
Immediately after the seizure, the dogs were taken to an undisclosed location for medical care and behavior enrichment. While the case moved through the legal system, teams of HSVBIRC shelter staff and volunteers were assembled and quietly rotated over a three-week period to help ASPCA staff and responders care for and socialize the dogs.
“It’s so rewarding to see the dogs improving day by day,” said Sharon Bunnell, a Humane Society animal care staffer who spent five days caring for the dogs soon after they were seized.
Volunteer Wendy Trimarche added, “I feel privileged to have been a part of such an amazing group…hard working and so dedicated to the welfare and care of animals in such great need.”
For adoption information call the Humane Society’s Adoption Department at (772) 388-3331 ext. 110 or visit the shelter’s website www.hsvb.org.
Volunteer inquiries can be made by calling (772) 388-3331 ext. 112. The Humane Society of Vero Beach and Indian River County is located at 6230 77th St., Vero Beach.
