16 rescue dogs doing well at Cedar Valley Humane Society

16 Cocker Spaniels were rescued from a commercial breeding facility in Western Iowa Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2012, and brought to the Cedar Valley Human Society, in Cedar Rapids. (Emily Busse/SourceMedia Group News)

CEDAR RAPIDS – Cedar Valley Humane volunteers are caring for 16 severely neglected dogs taken from a commercial breeding facility Wednesday night.

“They weren’t used to walking with the matted fur,” said Executive Director, Bob Citrullo. “They were so bad their legs were curled under.”

Several of the dogs show signs of repeated breeding. Nearly all were treated for tooth decay and rot, skin, ear and bladder infections.  Now, after just 24 hours, the dogs are on the mend and looking much better. Most are eating and drinking normally, some even being a little playful.

Still, they’re not ready for a new home.

“Either the owners of the facility need to turn them over which is what we would suggest, or if it becomes a legal battle, we have to wait for the outcome of that,” Citrullo explained.

Sadly, volunteers say some of the dogs shy-away from humans.  They’ll need to socialize with Cedar Valley staff and other dogs which might keep them from a speedy adoption.

“I can’t believe these dogs have lived in these conditions,” said two-year volunteer, Jackie Wallace.  “A lot of anger for the people that do this for money.”

Volunteers say breeding facilities, like where these dogs came from, need to be stopped in Iowa.

“Put some teeth into the laws for this,” said Wallace, “I just think it’s wrong, and there’s got to be a better way to provide dogs for people then to mass breed them like this.”