Twenty-four dogs believed to have been dumped in deplorable conditions in Palm Beach County are now on the mend. The dogs, according to volunteers at Three Stooges Rescue in Stuart, were found over the span of several days.
Three Stooges Rescue was involved in capturing and caring for the dogs.
WATCH: WPTV’s Meghan McRobertsspeaks to Commissioner Greg Weiss about the issue
Volunteer Lacy Larson said they learned about the dogs Friday night, and on Saturday, a first ‘round’ of dogs was rescued. They were found running around a property west of South Congress Avenue near Melaleuca Lane.
“It’s the perfect place in the dark of night to dump dogs,” Larson described.
Some rescuers have asked WPTV not to report the exact location over fears, they say, that more people might dump animals in that area.
Rescuers returned Sunday, finding more dogs. On Monday, they said they found even more. In just those three days, Larson said 21 dogs were rescued.
All appeared to be about the same size and breed. Larson said some appeared to be just weeks old, while others might be one or two years old.
“This is one of the largest groups of dumped animals we’ve ever been involved in,” Larson said.
Shortly after interviewing Larson on Tuesday, WPTV’s Meghan McRoberts went to the site where the dogs were found, finding two more puppies scrounging for food, then running up a tree to hide. She pulled the dogs out of the tree, and gave them to a volunteer who brought them to Three Stooges Rescue to be with the others that had been rescued.
Wednesday, Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control said another dog was found in the same area that matched the appearance of the others, bringing the count to 24 dogs, possibly all coming from the same person or place.
“These dogs were definitely used and not loved,” Larson said.
Larson said she’s helped bathe the dogs, treat them for fleas, and care for scratches and open wounds. She said it also appears some of the dogs have had their tails chopped off.
Larson contacted county leaders and law enforcement.
“Given our experience in dog rescue, this person is doing backyard breeding. There’s no question,” Larson said.
Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control said it cannot say for sure that the dogs were dumped, but asks anyone who might have information to come forward.
County Commissioner Greg Weiss said he has also contacted law enforcement and Animal Care and Control.
“Hopefully, there’s enough evidence somewhere that they might be able to find out who did this,” Weiss said. “You wonder what they were doing with so many animals. If it’s one individual or multiple, we don’t know at this point.”
Weiss said dumping dogs is never the solution, alerting pet owners to better options.
“We have facilities. You can take them to Animal Care and Control; we have surrender boxes out there, places where people can surrender them at night anonymously. So, there’s just no need for this,” Weiss said.
Larson and the team at Three Stooges Rescue are preparing the dogs for adoption, hoping they all find loving homes. They are also asking for donations to help care for the dogs.
“These dogs are lucky. Some dogs don’t make it out alive,” Larson said.
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