COLDWATER, Miss. (localmemphis.com) – UPDATED 2/4/2020: The outpouring of support and desire to help all of the dogs rescued Monday in Tate County is very much appreciated. In a Facebook post Tuesday morning, Sandy Williams, Director and founder of the Tunica Humane Society says it’s going to take days for them along with Sunny Meadows Rescue to process all of the dogs.
They will need help in the future, but, are asking for yourpatience. Please don’t show up at thistime to adopt one of the dogs rescued from Tate County. Each dog will have to be evaluated by vetsand their many health issues must be addressed before future placements can beconsidered.
Sandy says, their first priority is to get the dogs the medicalcare they desperately need.
If you can donate to their care, it would be greatly appreciated. Your support is needed at this urgent time. You can donate by going to the Facebook post below…
UPDATED: Local in Mississippi, Tate County investigators and animal rescue groups worked Monday to clear what authorities describe as a puppy mill, with more than 170 dogs and puppies found on a Coldwater, MS property.
According to the organization American Society for the Preventionof Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), puppy mills are defined as a “large scalecommercial dog breeding operation where profit is given priority over thewell-being of dogs”.
The director and founder of the Tunica Humane Society, SandyWilliams, said she received a tip last week of a possible puppy mill on EastTate Road.
“This one seemed a little bit serious, so I did a littleinvestigating, I did a little bit of undercover work, got all of our ducks in arow and took it to Tate County sheriff’s department and thankfully they took itvery, very serious,” Williams said.
Tate County authorities got a search warrant and arrived at thehome around 8:00 a.m. Monday.
“Nothing prepares you for these types of situations until youwalk into them. In just the one small out building, we extracted 102 dogs, juststacked in kennels on top of each other, little mamas nursing puppies, littlesenior dogs, blind, just the most horrific thing,” Williams told Local 24News. “We decided to call today Operation Breathe because when we tookthem out of that building, they took a fresh breath of air. That’s why we arehere, that’s why we do this.”
Williams said while the dogs were fed, their nails and claws werevery overgrown, with eyes infected, ears infected, matted fur, and living infilth.
“There’s not much life for the dogs. They’re just serving apurpose to have puppies,” Williams said. “What we need to doimmediately is get them to vets, get them assessed. We need to raise a greatdeal of money to handle an operation like this.”
Williams added that well over 100 dogs were puppies or young dogs,and rescuers also found several older dogs past breeding age in separate pensat back of property.
Tate County Sheriff Brad Lance said there won’t be charges filed Monday. Instead, the district attorney will gather information from investigators and veterinarians, and present the case to an upcoming grand jury. Sheriff Lance said charges such as animal cruelty could be on the table for a grand jury to consider.
The homeowner was cooperative. But the sheriff said he, himself, left disappointed and disgusted after visiting the scene Monday afternoon.
“I can’t imagine what has to transpire, of how you don’t see the horrible conditions that the animals are in, and do something about it before it gets to this,” Sheriff Lance said.