Volunteers Nurse Rescued Dogs Back To Life

Rescuers are still nursing dozens of dogs back to health after they were seized from an alleged puppy mill. Officials said the 38 dogs are being held at a secret location while police investigate their former owner, Teri Lea Hamilton of Chihuahuas Galore. Hamilton was charged with 2 counts of cruelty to companion animals, failure to license her dogs and failure to obtain a kennel license.

Volunteers said the dogs are happy and healthy and are getting close to an adoptable state. Investigators said Humane Society officials were called to the Brown County home earlier in the week after getting a report of an injured dog.

Officials said that led them to a home filled with animals, some of them dead and all of them living in horrific conditions. Feces and garbage covered most of the floor and furniture and the dogs suffered from neglect, fleas and a host of other medical ailments. There were also a large number of deceased dogs found wrapped like sausages in a large freezer inside the home.

That's when the Tri-State County Animal Response Team stepped in and rescued the dogs. Each rescued dog has been checked thoroughly by a veterinarian; been wormed, de-flead, vaccinated and provided whatever appropriate medications their various ailments require.

Many dogs have severe hair loss from untreated flea allergies, and a large number have ear infections, eye damage and extreme dental disease – all due to Ms. Hamilton’s neglect. Pictures of the rescued dogs can be found at www.TriStateCART.com (click on "Brown County Dogs").