Animals rescued from 'Designer Dog' puppy mill

Being trendy is not a good reason to buy a dog.

The same can be said for breeding them. Wednesday morning, six so-called 'designer dogs' arrived at the Animal Ark in Hastings, after being rescued from a central Minnesota puppy mill.

They are among 75 Labradoodles, Goldendoodles, and Cockapoos the shelter is trying to convince the owner of the mill to surrender. They hope a deal can be worked out without notifying the authorities.

"People think there is money, they get into it, they don't find a market for them or don't have the business acumen to sell the dogs," Animal Ark Executive Director Mike Fry said, "and they end up in over their heads and they've got themselves into a big problem."

Preliminary veterinary exams suggest the animals have been fed and watered, but their fur is caked with urine and feces, evidence that conditions at the breeding operation are poor. More worrisome, is the lack of human contact and socialization the dogs have received.

All of the animals cowered in the back of their cages, and attempted to run when volunteers came to get them for exams.

They had to be carried down the hall, because they did not know how to walk on a leash.

"If an operation is very large, depending on the number of people they have working for them, if they aren't teaching them those kind of skills they're going to need to learn them now," explained veterinarian Charlie Gambusky.

The Animal Ark is trying to find foster families for these six dogs, and perhaps more when others are surrendered, to love and socialize them for adoption.

"He may never be a 'quote unquote' normal dog," Fry lamented as Homer, a two-year-old Labradoodle was carried down the hall, "but he will be a really nice companion for somebody."

For more information on becoming a foster family, contact the Animal Ark at 651-772-8983, or visit their website at www.animalarkshelter.org

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