Ark Animal Sanctuary News

by Lorraine Monfils
    A few weeks ago The Ark took in seven puppies who came from a very bad environment.
    This was not the first time we have taken animals from this place so we were prepared for what we were about to encounter or at least we thought we were.
    The puppies arrived at around 5 p.m., they were infested with fleas so we gave them pills to eliminate the fleas in a couple of hours. The puppies remained in crates until the fleas were gone. That evening we went to work, we took the puppies out of the crates and took pictures to document the condition they were in. The puppies were terrified and some were growling, the smell was so bad it made our eyes water, these tiny little creatures were covered in feces and urine from head to toe. They had so much flea dirt and dead fleas on them it was heartbreaking.
Dawson
    After three baths apiece, we still could not get the smell out, they were clean, but they still smelled like the dirt floor cellar they had been living in. By this time the puppies had started warming up to us, we fed them some puppy food and they were clean and flea free, this definitely made them feel better. The next step was to treat them for ear mites. The next day they all went to the vet to be weighed and treated for worms, as all of their systems were on overload with all of the worms — one more positive step in their lives.
    That same day, they were split between two different homes and taken into foster care. In the days to come they would learn to know what it was like to be a part of a safe, clean and loving family environment. They all thrived in their new environments. They became typical puppies — barking, eating and playing hard and falling asleep in a pile.
    The first two to be adopted were Chip and Dale, as they were fortunate enough to find a home together.
    The next two, Missy and Chrissy also went together. They now wear matching jackets and collars. They have a fenced in yard and a new mom and dad who love them very much.
    Picasso was the next to leave. He went to an awesome home where his new big sister Kiwi will take good care of him.
    Belle is waiting to go to her new home, hopefully in a couple of weeks.
    Dawson is the last one. He is a wonderful boy, very shy and not as trusting as the others. Dawson needs a home with no kids and at least one other socialized dog. His new owners will need to be patient, loving and confident.
    The environment these puppies were born into was unfortunate, but they were the lucky ones. They were rescued. Think about the ones still there that keep reproducing. Some of the female dogs have had two or more litters a year. Having more than one litter a year for any dog poses some serious health issues. The puppies that were rescued were infested with fleas. Can you imagine what the other ones look like? With fleas come tapeworms, all of these things if left untreated can cause serious health issues.
    As near as we could estimate, the puppies were three to four months old and judging from the feces and urine embedded in their fur, they had never been bathed. Think about the condition of the older dogs that remain there. It is difficult to even think about.
    There is a simple solution to this problem — neuter and spay the remaining dogs. It is cheaper to neuter and spay than it is to feed five or six litters of puppies.
    If you can’t afford to neuter and spay, there are programs out there to assist people. If you can’t afford the medical treatment required for fleas and worms, surrender your animals to someone who can give them the lives that they deserve. Pets cost money. Yes they are cute and cuddly and great company, but they deserve to be taken care of properly and that costs money.
    So what happens to the remaining dogs left there? Their future is uncertain. The Ark will help get those remaining dogs neutered and spayed and cleaned up. All the people have to do is make one simple phone call.
    For the month of December, The Ark took in $2,936.95 in fundraisers and donations with our expenses being $1,328.50. We took in one cat and adopted 10. We currently have 57 cats. We took in no dogs and adopted six. We currently have three dogs.