Dogs rescued during search recovering at APL
Jul. 15—KINGSVILLE — Ten dogs rescued when Sheriff's Office deputies conducted a search last week are recovering in the care of the Ashtabula County Animal Protective League.
Mary Glauser, executive director of the APL and humane agent for the county, said the APL is caring for five puppies and five adult dogs that were rescued from a home in Jefferson Township on July 7.
Glauser said there are short and long-term health issues the dogs are suffering from.
They are suffering from malnutrition, and urine scald, from being exposed to their own waste for an extended period of time, she said.
"We are dealing with many layers of neglect and abuse from the home that we are working through," Glauser said. "The dogs were without, as far as we can tell, food and water for a long duration, and they were eating other things in the home in lieu of having food, so we're looking at potentially some blockages and other things that we're all trying to work through at this point."
The APL will have to hold the dogs and pay for their care throughout the court process until the course is resolved, she said.
"Our priority is to take care of the animals, but the budgeting for cases like this, and the prospect of long-term care and medical care, it's pretty daunting when you're looking at ten dogs," Glauser said.
In addition to the dogs that were rescued from the property, multiple dead dogs were found on the property, she said.
The rescued dogs are all very sweet, Glauser said.
"Their disposition and their ability to give and receive love, from the second we brought them in here, it was one of those situations, you felt like they were grateful," she said. "They are all very, very sweet, despite their circumstances. We really love them."
Anyone who would like to donate to help pay for the care of the dogs can do so via the APL's website, at acapl.org/donate, or call or stop into the shelter on Green Road in Kingsville.
"They can specify where those funds are allocated," Glauser said. "So if they specifically want them allocated to what we would call our angel medical fund, for medical care for animals."
The APL also handles humane services for the county, and donors can specify funds to pay for that, she said.
Glauser asked people who know that animals are suffering in similar situations to come forward.
"After the fact, we had multiple people come forward and say they knew the animals were in peril, they knew the animals were sick and dying at the property, and nobody said anything," she said. "So while we are so grateful that we were able to save these 10, we know of multiple other dogs that suffered and died in that home."
Many of the cases the APL get are resolved quickly, Glauser said.
Anyone who suspects an animal is being neglected or abused can call the APL at 440-224-1222 or through the APL's website.
"We go out and investigate those within 72 hours and bring some sort of resolution to it," she said. "Folks, if they're afraid to call and talk, they can report anonymously through the website. You can upload pictures, you can give as much information."
Sometimes there are misunderstandings or cases do not need the APL to intervene, Glauser said.
"But in this case, if just one person would have spoken up, we could have potentially saved additional lives," she said.
