Tuesday, officers with the Poplarville Police Department, volunteers with the Animal Advocates of Pearl River County and veterinarian Dr. Gale Harris of East Veterinary Clinic in Poplarville rescued a total of 12 puppies and adult dogs from a residence on Shivers Street in Poplarville.
After receiving several neighborhood complaints, Poplarville Police Chief Butch Raby said his officers paid a visit to the owner of the residence.
Upon their arrival, officers noticed that the dogs appeared to be malnourished and some of the adult dogs were tied up outside, Raby said.
Due to the condition of the dogs, officers obtained a court order to seize them, Raby said.
“We reached out to the Animal Advocates of Pearl River County and Dr. Gale Harris with East Veterinary Clinic to help us assess the animals and treat them on scene,” Raby said.
When he arrived at the residence, Harris said he noticed puppies running around the yard. Several adult dogs were tied to a post in front of the house, which could cause them to fight with one another over food, he said.
The animals were thin and one dog’s ribs were showing. The animals were also covered in fleas.
There were at least two pregnant females, Harris said.
Harris’ employees volunteered during the rescue and administered vaccinations, such as dewormer, to the dogs on site to provide protection for them prior to their arrival at the shelter.
“The owner was unable to take care of them,” he said. “It’s a classic case of a hoarding type situation. I want to thank the Poplarville Police Department. They did a great job handling things. The owner obviously needed some help to help themselves. It’s a win/win situation.”
Raby said there will be no criminal charges pressed against the owner. Authorities will be contacting someone with the Department of Human Services vulnerable adults department to conduct an evaluation of the owner, Raby said.
According to the city’s animal control ordinance, owners must register their animals with the city and each animal must be current on their vaccinations, Raby said.
The animals were transported to the Pearl River County SPCA facility in Picayune.
Dara Hooper, PRCSPCA secretary and treasurer, said SPCA staff are in the process of thoroughly evaluating the dogs.
“We received them about 8:30 p.m. last night and fulfilled their basic needs first like food and water,” Hooper said. “They were a bit traumatized. Our first priority was to provide them a quiet place for them to settle in.”
Anyone who would like to donate supplies to the PRC SPCA can contact staff at 601-798-8000. Follow the SPCA on Facebook for up-to-date information at Pearl River County SPCA.