ANIMAL RESCUE CORPS | Compassion in Action

Operation Home Alone: 53 Chihuahuas Rescued From Desperate Conditions

On March 7, 2020 Animal Rescue Corps responded to an urgent request for assistance, from a local rescue organization, Waggin' Tails. More than 50 dogs were living in deplorable conditions in and around a single-family residence. Many of the dogs were inside the home which contained large amounts of feces, urine-soaked floors and furniture, and high levels of ammonia gas. The remainder of the animals were running loose around the debris-strewn property. All of the dogs were suffering in this dangerous environment; exhibiting physical conditions such as anemia, emaciation, eye injuries and infections, internal and external parasites, hair loss, skin infections,respiratory distress and untreated injuries. The remains of at least 10 deceased animals were also found on the property.

When the desperate calls for help come...

We can only respond with your support!

ARC performed Operation Home Alone in conjunction with Waggin' Tails, and with the cooperation of the Smith County Sheriff's Department. Animal Rescue Corps is now caring for the dogs at ARC’s Rescue Operations Center in Lebanon, TN, about 30 minutes from where the animals were rescued. Each animal has received a thorough veterinary exam, appropriate vaccinations, and any necessary medical treatment. ARC providing daily care until they can be transferred to shelter and rescue organizations that will ultimately adopt them into loving homes. Their health and wellbeing has already improved dramatically!

Please make a donation today to assist with care:

· A $25 donation provides basic vaccines and deworming treatments for one animal.

· A $50 donation provides the above, as well as heartworm testing and prevention, and flea and tick prevention.

· A $100 donation provides all of the above, as well as other necessary medical treatments such as antibiotics, eye ointments, and medicated baths for one animal.

Thank you for helping us ease their suffering and get them ready for a new life and new home!

Or consider joining our ARC Angel program. This is the most significant commitment you can make to our life-saving mission! A monthly contribution of any amount, $5, $10 or $20 a month, is what allows us to respond at a moment's notice when animals are suffering. Thank you!

February 22, 2020: From back to back operations, ARC is caring for 105 animals in our Rescue Operation Center

Operation Desperate Days: 54 animals rescued from desperate conditions ahead of freeze!

The last few days have seen freezing rain, snow and temps in the 20’s here in Tennessee, but for 40 dogs and 14 cats rescued on Wednesday, that no longer meant more suffering and possible death. Last week, as team members were headed to Louisiana, Animal Rescue Corpsreceived a call from authorities in Henderson County, Tennessee requesting assistance with a case where a number of animals were being kept in deplorable conditions and appeared to be neglected and suffering. Upon inspection, it was confirmed that approximately 30 dogs were living outside, without adequate shelter and many were visibly suffering from severe mange and fur loss. Immediately upon our return to Tennessee, ARC mobilized quickly to assist these animals ahead of freezing temperatures predicted to plummet on Thursday. We were very concerned these animals would suffer and possibly die exposed to the cold and rain that was forecast, especially given the extensive fur loss on many of the dogs.

ARC’s amazing volunteers jumped into action, making ready the space and assembling the necessary equipment to receive these animals in less than 24 hours; and at the same time coordinating the necessary field team to handle any challenges we might encounter on scene. After driving for nearly three hours, we arrived on scene with law enforcement at 9:00am. A search and seizure warrant was immediately served allowing Animal Rescue Corps to remove 100% of the animals. Fortunately, the property owners acknowledged that help was needed and after assurances were given that the animals would receive the best care possible and ultimately be placed in a loving home – 100% of the animals were surrendered to ARC’s care.

It was a long and exhausting day but the team would not stop until the last animal was safe in our care. The capture of the last dog was a heroic team effort in itself. All day as we worked, we saw a dog in extremely poor condition circling the property from a safe distance outside the fences. We could get close enough to see that she had no fur, but attempts to get closer were only driving her further into the trees. We were all concerned that in her condition, she might not survive the days it could take to trap her. In a last-ditch valiant effort, the team created an opening and managed to get her to run into one of the fenced enclosures. Terrified and hiding under a shed, we were finally able to get a lead on her. The next morning as freezing rain and snow were falling, we were all so relieved that this girl, along with all the others, were safe and warm!

The desperate calls for help come...

but we can only respond with your support!

ARC ultimately removed 30 dogs and one cat from dangerous and debris strewn pens and enclosures around the house. We rescued an additional ten dogs and 13 cats from equally dangerous and unsanitary conditions inside the home, where excessiveammonia levels forced volunteers to wear protective equipment. The property owner claimed the problem began with one unaltered dog who became pregnant, and was made worse over the years by others abandoning animals on this property. While there are always a range of issues that contribute to a problem like this, it makes clear the need for low cost spay and neuter options to be available in every community.

These animals are suffering from a range of issues consistent with a lack of medical care and unsanitary living conditions. Severe mange with almost complete fur loss affected many of the animals, along with other internal and external parasites, untreated wounds, eye infections and respiratory infections – particularly in those animals living inside with the excessively high ammonialevels. All animals are receiving thorough medical assessments, vaccinations, deworming and other necessary treatments. They will continue to receive daily and medical care as long as necessary and will then be matched with an ARC placement partner who can best address their unique needs and place them in a loving home.

Please make a donation today to assist with their care:

· A $25 donation provides basic vaccines and deworming treatments for one animal.

· A $50 donation provides the above, as well as heartworm testing and prevention, and flea and tick prevention.

· A $100 donation provides all of the above, as well as other necessary medical treatments such as antibiotics, eye ointments, and medicated baths for one animal.

Thank you for helping us ease their suffering and get them ready for a new life and new home!

Operation Cajun Castaways: 51 animals relocated from two overburdened shelters in deep south!

One of our guiding principles at Animal Rescue Corps is that groups working together can successfully address problems that are too big for any one group to solve on their own. Together we are more!

The wonderful folks at BISSELL Pet Foundation (BPF) have been working for over three years to draw attention to the problems and lack of resources for animals in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana; while facilitating transports of healthy, adoptable animals to regions in the country where a loving home is more than a remote hope. This again speaks to theimportance of spay and neuter initiatives that have been so successful in many communities in the Northeast, and the need for these same initiatives in the under resourced communities in the South.

Many of Animal Rescue Corps’ critical rescue missions would not have been possible without emergency grants from the BISSELL Pet Foundation, so when they say help is needed –we do our best to respond. In this instance, we traveled to Louisiana to show support to the first ever free spay and neuter clinic in St. Landry Parish sponsored by BPF and conducted by Animal Balance. This is the first of several such clinics to be conducted this year and already the community response is promising! We were honored to come an observe the clinic operation first hand and meet those responsible.

While there, Animal Rescue Corps planned to, once again, assist with desperately needed shelter relief efforts. This is our third trip to bring back adoptable animals from overburdened shelters in Louisiana where animals wait and wait… day after day declining… and no one comes to adopt. These animals are desperate for and deserving of the love and comfort of a home, but those opportunities are almost non-existent in these economically depressed and remote areas.

In addition to St. Landry Parish, where we able to identify 34 dogs, including puppies, that could be transported back to Tennessee, we visited a shelter in the neighboring parish of Point Coupee. We worked with this shelter to identify 16 animals that could also make the trip back with us. Most of these animals had been waiting for an adoptive family in that shelter for many years, two of them for more than decade. We could not be happier that,with your help, after years of waiting these dogs will now have that dream come true. They will know love, a home, the comfort of a couch and a million other joys that a shelter environment can never provide.

In total 51 terrific animals made the journey back to the ARC Rescue Operation Center. I’m delighted to report that many of these animals will be moving out north and west to our amazing placement partners within days, and for some of them – there are already prospective homes waiting!!

Please make a generous donation today to support Animal Rescue Corps’ as we work in multiple ways to address the suffering and needs of our animal friends! Thank you!

Other ways you can help:

Volunteer: if you live near or can travel to Tennessee, please send an email to[email protected] to find out how you can help!

Supplies: visit our Amazon Wish List here to contribute critical supplies and food for these operations.

On behalf of the animals, thank you!!

Tim Woodward

Executive Director

Animal Rescue Corps

PS. Please consider joining our ARC Angel program. This is the most significant commitment you can make to our life-saving mission!

A monthly contribution of any amount, even $5, $10 or $20 a month, is what allows us to respond at a moment's notice when animals are suffering and lives are at stake. Thank you!

BREAKING! Operation Noah's Ark sentencing update!

Donald Schoenthal - sentenced to 120 days in jail, probation for 5 years, cannot own or possess animals for 10 years.

Tara Neutzler - sentenced to 75 days in jail, probation for 5 years, cannot own or possess animals for 10 years.

Ordered to report to jail on 8/27/19.

Given that it is, unfortunately, all too common for those convicted of animal cruelty to avoid serving actual jail time, these sentences reflect that the judge in this case ultimately took the crimes very seriously.
We recognize this as a big win for the animals.

Media coverage here: WBBJ TV

ANIMAL RESCUE CORPS CELEBRATES SUCCESSFUL END OF TWO OPERATIONS AFTER BREEDERS PLEAD GUILTY TO ANIMAL CRUELTY, SURRENDER ANIMALS

May 22nd, 2019, Huntingdon, TN - Animal Rescue Corps (ARC) won legal custody Wednesday of nearly 200 animals seized from a couple that had been breeding the animals for sale at properties in two Tennessee counties. The individuals each pleaded guilty to one felony count and three misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty, surrendered 100 percent of the animals, and are banned from owning or possessing an animal for ten years. The couple is scheduled to be sentenced on July 22 in the case that has been ongoing for more than a year.

In April 2018, ARC assisted the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office in the rescue of nearly 150 animals of various species, found without adequate food, water, or veterinary care in filthy conditions on the breeders' property in Atwood, TN. Deceased animals were also found on the property. For the last year, while the breeders fought for custody in the courts, ARC and a partner nonprofit have been caring the seized animals - 43 dogs, 37 cats, 17 rabbits, 10 geese, eight chickens, six ducks, six goats, five sheep, five chinchillas, four ferrets, and two alpacas. ARC dubbed this case Operation Noah's Ark.

"We have been working tirelessly to care for the severely neglected animals of Operation Noah's Ark and doing everything in our power to prevent them from going back to the horrid conditions we rescued them from," said ARC Executive Director Tim Woodward. "They survived and now they will thrive, along with the animals from our second, more recent case."

Earlier this month, the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the same breeders' property in Cookeville, TN to serve an arrest warrant on an unrelated matter and, upon discovering 23 dogs and 29 cats in deplorable conditions and a deceased kitten, requested ARC’s assistance in removing the animals and documenting them and the property. ARC dubbed this case Operation Storm's End.

"We are beyond elated. Hundreds of animals won back their lives today," said Woodward. "Our thanks go to the compassionate authorities in Carroll and Putnam Counties for seizing them and following through on charges, to ARC's volunteers and veterinarians for being the first people to love and care for them, to ARC's donors for funding their care, and to ARC's partner organizations for taking the baton from us and finding them the homes they deserve."

ARC has been caring for the dogs, cats, rabbits, chinchillas, and ferrets of Operations Noah's Ark and Storm’s End at their Rescue Operations Center in Lebanon, TN. The animals have received veterinary exams and necessary medical treatment and vaccinations and will now be placed with rescues and shelters. For people wishing to foster or adopt, ARC will publish its list of placement partners on its Facebook page once the animals are transferred to these groups. Redemption Road Rescue has been caring for and will be placing the geese, chickens, ducks, goats, sheep, and alpacas.

Animal Rescue Corps performed Operation Storm’s End in conjunction with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office and Operation Noah's Ark in conjunction with the Carroll County Sheriff's Office and Redemption Road Rescue. The BISSELL Pet Foundation provided emergency grants to assist with medical and daily care for the animals of both operations.

The BISSELL Pet Foundation is a non-profit pet foundation that provides financial assistance to animal welfare organizations with the goal of reducing the number of animals in shelters and rescues through adoption, spay/neuter programs, micro-chipping, and foster care.

ARC is a nonprofit funded solely by donations. To support their work, click the blue Donate button on ARC's Facebook page: Animal Rescue Corps, or visit www.animalrescuecorps.org.

See media coverage here: WTVF News Channel 5

ANIMAL RESCUE CORPS AND UNION COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI AUTHORITIES RESCUE 13 DOGS ABANDONED IN TRAILER

Myrtle, MS - Animal Rescue Corps (ARC) assisted the Union County Sheriff’s Department and Animal Control on May 17, 2019 in the rescue of 13 dogs who were abandoned in a Myrtle, Mississippi trailer home, about 80 miles southeast of Memphis, Tennessee. They are calling the rescue Operation Discarded Dogs.

The dogs were left behind by renters after they moved and discovered by the landlord, the trailer’s owner, who gave the dogs food and water and contacted animal control. The dogs had been without care for at least three weeks. Half of the dogs are underweight, the other half are emaciated, and they are all critically dehydrated. They are also suffering from eye infections and parasitic infestations so severe they have significant loss of fur and diarrhea. The stench of ammonia and feces could be smelled from outside the trailer. The conditions inside the trailer were horrifically filthy and debris strewn. The ammonia levels were dangerously high inside the trailer where all the animals had been confined with no air flow.

“We received the urgent call yesterday afternoon from our partners in Union County and responded with the necessary resources in less than 24 hours,” said Animal Rescue Corps Executive Director Tim Woodward. “We regret that our services are needed because some people could be unimaginably thoughtless and cruel to these animals, but grateful that Union County's quick response has certainly saved lives today.”

ARC has twice before assisted the Union County Sheriff's Department and Animal Control with cases of animal cruelty and neglect. In July 2015, they rescued more than 100 animals in Blue Springs and in July 2017 they rescued 13 animals in Alpine. “We know we can count on Animal Rescue Corps when we get these unfortunate cases of dozens, or even hundreds of animals, who need our help,” said Union County Sheriff Jimmy Edwards. “Abandoning any number animals in your care is cruel, it is illegal, and we will pursue and charge the individuals responsible.” Per Mississippi law, the landlord was able to sign over legal custody of the dogs to Union County and filed an affidavit attesting to the abandonment.

ARC safely transported the dogs to their Rescue Operations Center in Lebanon, Tennessee, 30 miles east of Nashville. ARC will provide thorough veterinary exams, appropriate vaccinations, and any necessary medical treatment and place the dogs with partner shelter and rescue organizations that will ultimately adopt them into loving homes. ARC performed this rescue in conjunction with the Union County Sheriff’s Office and Animal Control.

ARC is a nonprofit and supported entirely by donations. To support Operation Discarded Dogs click the blue “Donate” button on their Facebook page: Animal Rescue Corps, or visit their website at AnimalRescueCorps.org.

ANIMAL RESCUE CORPS AND PUTNAM COUNTY AUTHORITIES RESCUE MORE THAN 40 ANIMALS FROM BREEDERS

Cookeville, TN – Animal Rescue Corps (ARC) assisted the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office on May 10, 2019 in the rescue of more than 42 animals from neglectful conditions at a Cookeville home, 80 miles east of Nashville in a rescue dubbed Operation Storm’s End, where the property owners were breeding the animals for sale. All of the animals were seized by the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office.

ARC responders found 23 dogs and 19 cats either without water or without drinkable water, and when food was present it was visibly moldy. It appeared from the high ammonia gas levels and fresh diarrhea that dogs had recently been housed in the basement but, at the time of the seizure, all dogs present were outside. Several dogs were contained in trash-strewn pens and others were running loose on the property. Seven cats were contained in an outdoor enclosure in the back yard and the remainder were in the house, including a mom and two kittens. The animals were suffering from a range of medical issues, including dental disease, matting of the fur, fur loss, ear and eye infections, internal and external parasites (such as fleas), overgrown nails, untreated skin infections, pyometra, untreated entropion, and corneal ulcers. A long-deceased kitten was also found in a basket on a shelf.

“In April of 2018, Animal Rescue Corps worked with the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office to remove nearly 150 animals from another property owned by these same individuals,” said ARC Executive Director Tim Woodward. “We found similarly grim conditions at both the Carroll County and Putnam County properties – sick animals in filthy living conditions. Our thanks go to the dedicated authorities who didn’t hesitate to take action to protect these innocent animals.”

The planning for this rescue began when ARC was contacted by the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office, who had arrived at the property to serve an arrest warrant on an unrelated matter Friday morning and, upon discovering the animals housed in deplorable conditions, requested ARC’s assistance in removing the animals and documenting them and the property. One of the two adult property owners living in the home was arrested and charged with felony theft and TennCare fraud.

ARC safely transported the animals of Operation Storm’s End to their Rescue Operations Center in Lebanon, TN. This is where ARC staff, volunteers, and veterinarians have been caring for the dogs, cats, rabbits, chinchillas, and ferrets, of the Carroll County case, Operation Noah’s Ark, for over a year. The custody of those animals has yet to be determined by the courts. The animals rescued Friday have received a thorough veterinary exam, appropriate vaccinations, and continue to receive any necessary medical treatment. ARC will provide daily care until their legal custody is determined and they can be placed with shelter and rescue organizations that will ultimately adopt them into loving homes.

Animal Rescue Corps performed Operation Storm’s End in conjunction with the Putnam County Sheriff’s Office. The BISSELL Pet Foundation provided an emergency grant to assist with medical and daily care for the animals. To support this rescue operation click the blue Donate button on our Facebook page: Animal Rescue Corps, or visit animalrescuecorps.org.

Earlier News

Help Animal Rescue Corps with every purchase you make through Amazon!

Simply visit smile.amazon.com/ch/90-0640069 and login (one time) and we will be your designated charity for all your future purchases made at: smile.amazon.com!

If you'd like to help right now, our Amazon Wish List is here: http://a.co/hvesOHt (once you proceed to checkout, please select the Animal Rescue Corps' gift registry address.)

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED (18+ years of age) for the next several weeks at the Animal Rescue Corps Rescue Operation Center in LEBANON, TENNESSEE.
In April 2018, ARC rescued approximately 150 animals found in desperate conditions in Carroll County Tennessee. As the legal case continues, Animal Rescue Corps is providing ongoing daily care for these approximately 150 animals.

Please email [email protected] and in the email please include the days and shifts you are available. The shifts are 9am to 1pm, and 1pm to 5pm daily, and let us know if you can work both shifts. An ARC volunteer t-shirt and vegetarian/vegan lunch will be provided!

ANIMAL RESCUE CORPS AND CARROLL COUNTY AUTHORITIES RESCUE APPROXIMATELY 150 ANIMALS FROM MULTI-SPECIES BREEDING OPERATION

Atwood, TN – Animal Rescue Corps (ARC) assisted the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office on April 8, 2018 in the rescue of approximately 150 animals of various species, found living in extremely neglectful conditions on a property in Atwood, TN, about two hours west of Nashville. All of the animals were seized by the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office.

Approximately 43 large and medium breed dogs, including puppies, 37 cats, including litters of newborn kittens, 17 rabbits, 10 geese, eight chickens, six ducks, six goats, five sheep, five chinchillas, four ferrets, and two alpacas were found without adequate food or water. Several dead animals were found around the property including a zebra, a cat, a duck, and the remains of rabbits. There were live animals and dead animals in the same cage. Animals were found running loose and in cages around the property, inside a barn, and in the property owner’s house and garage. The animals were all extremely dirty and suffering from heavy infestations of internal and external parasites, broken bones, extreme matting, eye and ear infections, and respiratory issues caused by the extremely high ammonia levels inside the house and garage which was among the highest ARC has ever recorded. Many of the animals were suffering from malnutrition and no food for the animals was found on the property.

The planning for this rescue began when ARC received a tip from a concerned citizen and reached out to the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department. Upon serving a search warrant, they found several cruelty code violations and immediately engaged ARC for assistance with removing and documenting the animals.

“This county takes all cases of abuse and cruelty very seriously,” said Carroll County Sheriff, Andy Dickson, “The law was being violated and these animals desperately needed help, so we didn’t hesitate to take action.”

ARC is documenting the property and the animals and is safely transporting them to their Rescue Operations Center in Lebanon TN. This rescue, dubbed Operation Noah’s Ark is ARC’s third rescue operation in the past two months in Tennessee and Louisiana. Each animal will receive a thorough veterinary exam, appropriate vaccinations, and any necessary medical treatment. ARC will provide daily care until legal custody of the animals is determined and the animals can be placed with shelter and rescue organizations that will ultimately adopt them into loving homes. Redemption Road Rescue assisted and will be caring for and placing all of the farm animals and fowl. For people wishing to foster or adopt, ARC will publish its list of shelter and rescue placement partners on its Facebook page once the animals are transferred to these groups.

Animal Rescue Corps performed Operation Noah’s Ark in conjunction with the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, and Redemption Road Rescue, who provided equine care and transport.

As the legal case continues into 2019, Animal Rescue Corps is providing ongoing daily care for these approximately 150 animals.