This week, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) rescued more than 50 English bulldogs and schnauzers living in an illegal puppy mill at a home in Oscoda County, Mich., reported CBS News.
A puppy mill is an illegal breeding facility where the health and safety of dogs is overlooked for the sake of making profits, reported CBS Local Detroit. Oscoda County officials were at the home for more than eight hours investigating, and the ASPCA was called in to rescue the dogs.
The puppies and dogs were living in terrible conditions, with little food and water. Some were in cages that were stacked on top of each other, others were kept many to a cage, and many were unsocialized and scared. Many of them were about to be sold, reported CBS News.
"These dogs were living a very sad existence. While the puppies at breeding facilities are sold for profit, their parents are often kept there for years, subjected to incessant breeding and typically lacking routine veterinary care and basic socialization, resulting in a very poor quality of life. Our goal is to remove these dogs, help them become healthy, and find them homes once custody is determined by the court," said Tim Rickey, the vice president of ASPCA Field Investigations and Response, according to Up North Live.
The ASPCA tweeted a video about the rescue.
Get an inside look at our recent rescue of over 50 #dogs from a #Michigan puppy mill. https://t.co/t1a5TznAwq https://t.co/9ZQcd2605R
— ASPCA (@ASPCA) December 17, 2015
It is unclear whether the owners of the puppy mill will be charged, but the important thing is that the puppies have been freed and taken to a temporary home where they will receive veterinary care and love.
