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This dog and her puppies, in crate at left, were among the 51 canines rescued from a property in Dobbins. They have been placed in foster care and will be available for adoption through Pound Puppies Rescue, www.poundpuppiesrescue.org.
Pound Puppy Rescue finds homes for 4-legged friends
Pound Puppy Rescue, a 501c3 nonprofit organization, was founded in 2001 by Kathleen O'Sullivan, shortly after she began volunteering at Nevada County Animal Shelter.
At the time, the euthanasia rate was 68 percent and puppies were being euthanized weekly. O'Sullivan began taking litters from the shelter, having them spayed and neutered and then finding homes for them.
The organization was founded in the Bay Area, but O'Sullivan is working to establishing a chapter in the Grass Valley/Nevada City area. She is now a permanent resident of Nevada City.
Pound Puppy Rescue has no paid staff, ensuring that 100 percent of donations and adoption fees go directly to caring for the animals.
Puppies are rescued from shelters between Northern California and the Central Valley. To date, close to 2,000 dogs have been taken in and adopted out.
Due to a recent parvo outbreak at the Nevada County Animal Shelter, Pound Puppy Rescue has agreed to take puppies in to avoid the risk of their contracting parvo. In the last three weeks, 18 puppies have been able bypass the shelter.
“We need volunteers to foster puppies. Pound Puppy Rescue pays for vet bills and supplies. The foster family provides the love and care. We also need volunteers to help organize adoption events and volunteers to interview, screen and educate potential adopters,”
said O'Sullivan.
At the time, the euthanasia rate was 68 percent and puppies were being euthanized weekly. O'Sullivan began taking litters from the shelter, having them spayed and neutered and then finding homes for them.
The organization was founded in the Bay Area, but O'Sullivan is working to establishing a chapter in the Grass Valley/Nevada City area. She is now a permanent resident of Nevada City.
Pound Puppy Rescue has no paid staff, ensuring that 100 percent of donations and adoption fees go directly to caring for the animals.
Puppies are rescued from shelters between Northern California and the Central Valley. To date, close to 2,000 dogs have been taken in and adopted out.
Due to a recent parvo outbreak at the Nevada County Animal Shelter, Pound Puppy Rescue has agreed to take puppies in to avoid the risk of their contracting parvo. In the last three weeks, 18 puppies have been able bypass the shelter.
“We need volunteers to foster puppies. Pound Puppy Rescue pays for vet bills and supplies. The foster family provides the love and care. We also need volunteers to help organize adoption events and volunteers to interview, screen and educate potential adopters,”
said O'Sullivan.
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ENLARGE
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A dog and her puppies, also pictured on A1, are shown after spending time in foster care.
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A Dobbins man recently contacted AnimalSave, a nonprofit animal welfare organization in Grass Valley, asking for help. He found himself unable to properly care for the dogs and puppies on his property — all 51 of them.
A complaint by a neighbor prompted Yuba County Animal Control to visit the property, giving the owner until Nov. 6 to find a solution. Fearing that the puppies would be euthanized, a friend suggested he call AnimalSave for assistance.
Kathleen O'Sullivan, founder of Pound Puppy Rescue in Nevada City, happened to be at the AnimalSave office when the call came in. Since her organization specializes in rescuing puppies along with their mothers when unweaned, O'Sullivan took on the challenge.
After visiting the property, O'Sullivan realized how big the challenge ahead would be. Of the 51 dogs, 29 were puppies — ranging in age from 10 days to 5 months.
The animals were found living in poor conditions — most in outdoor kennels, some on chains, most unsocialized. The animals appeared to be well fed, however.
Because of the number of dogs, there was also a severe flea infestation.
“I spent a total of 10 hours combing fleas off 12 puppies and two mamas before transferring them to foster care,” said O'Sullivan.
How did the owner find himself in this situation? According to O'Sullivan, the man cares about his dogs, many received from friends who were unable to care for them. He made an effort to find homes, but due to limited resources, was unsuccessful. Only one of the 51 dogs on the property had been spayed, and soon the situation spiraled beyond his control.
The puppies, along with their mothers, were taken immediately and placed into the care of two Pound Puppy Rescue volunteers.
During a subsequent visit to the Dobbins property, O'Sullivan and Cheryl Wicks, founder of Sammie's Friends, discovered another litter of four puppies, which was also placed in foster care.
Once care was found for the young ones, the next step was to arrange for spaying and neutering, as well as post-operative care to help ensure the adult dogs' healthy recovery. Wicks contacted Nevada County Animal Shelter volunteers who signed on to help transport and provide temporary foster care during the recovery period.
Dr. Rob Avery of For The Love of Pets offered to board two of the recuperating dogs at no charge, and Empire Kennels is discounting their daily kennel fee to aid in the rescue effort.
Because the dogs are unapproachable, AnimalSave's Low-Income/Low-Cost Mobile Spay and Neuter Clinic will travel to the property on Friday, and again on Nov. 7, to spay and neuter the dogs that remain there.
“It is very rewarding to see all our hard work with the Mobile Spay and Neuter Clinic helping in such a significant way,” said Carolyn Niehaus, Spay and Neuter Clinic manager.
“It is particularly rewarding to see AnimalSave, Pound Puppy Rescue, Sammie's Friends, local veterinarians, kennels and others pull together to make this happen for the animals,” said Niehaus.
AnimalSave is subsidizing the cost of spaying and neutering, charging $85 per animal, as compared to the $250 fee of a full-service veterinarian.
Even with AnimalSave's help, the cost to Pound Puppy Rescue for the surgeries alone will be $2,600. They are also paying for microchipping and vaccinating the dogs, pushing the cost of care to over $3,000.
Eight of the dogs will be returned to the owner in Dobbins, and 43 of the dogs and puppies will be looking for their “forever” homes. Adoptions are being handled through Pound Puppy Rescue.
The dogs are mixed breed, including Australian shepherd, Irish wolfhound, border collie and Airedale terrier.
Volunteers are needed to foster and to help socialize the dogs prior to placement in a permanent home.
Graphic designer Kim Midboe can be reached at kmidboe@theunion.com or (530) 477-4251.
A complaint by a neighbor prompted Yuba County Animal Control to visit the property, giving the owner until Nov. 6 to find a solution. Fearing that the puppies would be euthanized, a friend suggested he call AnimalSave for assistance.
Kathleen O'Sullivan, founder of Pound Puppy Rescue in Nevada City, happened to be at the AnimalSave office when the call came in. Since her organization specializes in rescuing puppies along with their mothers when unweaned, O'Sullivan took on the challenge.
After visiting the property, O'Sullivan realized how big the challenge ahead would be. Of the 51 dogs, 29 were puppies — ranging in age from 10 days to 5 months.
The animals were found living in poor conditions — most in outdoor kennels, some on chains, most unsocialized. The animals appeared to be well fed, however.
Because of the number of dogs, there was also a severe flea infestation.
“I spent a total of 10 hours combing fleas off 12 puppies and two mamas before transferring them to foster care,” said O'Sullivan.
How did the owner find himself in this situation? According to O'Sullivan, the man cares about his dogs, many received from friends who were unable to care for them. He made an effort to find homes, but due to limited resources, was unsuccessful. Only one of the 51 dogs on the property had been spayed, and soon the situation spiraled beyond his control.
The puppies, along with their mothers, were taken immediately and placed into the care of two Pound Puppy Rescue volunteers.
During a subsequent visit to the Dobbins property, O'Sullivan and Cheryl Wicks, founder of Sammie's Friends, discovered another litter of four puppies, which was also placed in foster care.
Once care was found for the young ones, the next step was to arrange for spaying and neutering, as well as post-operative care to help ensure the adult dogs' healthy recovery. Wicks contacted Nevada County Animal Shelter volunteers who signed on to help transport and provide temporary foster care during the recovery period.
Dr. Rob Avery of For The Love of Pets offered to board two of the recuperating dogs at no charge, and Empire Kennels is discounting their daily kennel fee to aid in the rescue effort.
Because the dogs are unapproachable, AnimalSave's Low-Income/Low-Cost Mobile Spay and Neuter Clinic will travel to the property on Friday, and again on Nov. 7, to spay and neuter the dogs that remain there.
“It is very rewarding to see all our hard work with the Mobile Spay and Neuter Clinic helping in such a significant way,” said Carolyn Niehaus, Spay and Neuter Clinic manager.
“It is particularly rewarding to see AnimalSave, Pound Puppy Rescue, Sammie's Friends, local veterinarians, kennels and others pull together to make this happen for the animals,” said Niehaus.
AnimalSave is subsidizing the cost of spaying and neutering, charging $85 per animal, as compared to the $250 fee of a full-service veterinarian.
Even with AnimalSave's help, the cost to Pound Puppy Rescue for the surgeries alone will be $2,600. They are also paying for microchipping and vaccinating the dogs, pushing the cost of care to over $3,000.
Eight of the dogs will be returned to the owner in Dobbins, and 43 of the dogs and puppies will be looking for their “forever” homes. Adoptions are being handled through Pound Puppy Rescue.
The dogs are mixed breed, including Australian shepherd, Irish wolfhound, border collie and Airedale terrier.
Volunteers are needed to foster and to help socialize the dogs prior to placement in a permanent home.
Graphic designer Kim Midboe can be reached at kmidboe@theunion.com or (530) 477-4251.
You Can Help:
- For information on adopting or fostering the Dobbins dogs, contact Kathleen O'Sullivan at (530) 274-8079 or visit www.poundpuppyrescue.org. Donations to help with the cost of care may be sent to P.O. Box 2503, Nevada City, CA 95959
- To donate to AnimalSave's spay and neuter program, contact AnimalSave, 520 E. Main St., Suite A in Grass Valley at (530) 271-7071, ext. 206 or visit www.animalsave.org.
- To help provide medical care to sick and injured animals, contact Sammie's Friends at www.sammiesfriends.org.
