Small dogs rescued from metro-east hoarding situation now available for adoption
About six weeks after southwestern Illinois rescue workers saved them from a hoarding situation, several “sweet,” small-breed dogs are now available for adoption.
Heather Bishop, founder of Bishop’s Small Dog Rescue, participated in rescuing the dogs from a Waterloo-area home and took in 30. Some were transferred to other rescue organizations due to time and capacity constraints, but 13 of them are at the rescue now and six are posted for adoption online. More may be added in the coming months, and you can also apply to foster or foster-to-adopt.
In a St. Clair County committee board meeting Feb. 24, Bishop and another animal rescue worker described “a scene of freezing temperatures, dozens of free-running dogs, and sick, dying and flea-ridden animals lying in doghouses and enclosures,” the News-Democrat previously reported. Several dogs and puppies were found dead.
Metro-east animal rescue workers recovered 30 dogs from the home, and Bishop said “good Samaritans” had already picked up an additional two they planned to keep. No charges had been filed in connection to animal welfare at the time of the February meeting, and the News-Democrat has contacted Waterloo police to ask if any have been filed as of April 1.
While it’s common for dogs who come from difficult situations or who are unsocialized to be somewhat wary of people, Bishop said although they were initially scared, the dogs only took about 24 hours post-rescue to start climbing all over her.
“They were way better than I would have expected from a situation like that,” Bishop told the BND in a March 26 interview.
One of the dogs tested positive for heartworm, and essentially all of them had ailments such as mites and worms. Those have been remedied, and the heartworm-positive pup is undergoing a longer-term treatment.
What to know about the adoptable dogs
As of Tuesday afternoon, six dogs from the hoarding rescue are listed for adoption by Bishop’s Small Dog Rescue on adoption website wagtopia.com.
Tiffany is listed as an 18-pound beagle mix and is estimated to be around 2 to 3 years old. Bishop said Tiffany is super sweet and loves attention, and she would try to give hugs when Bishop would clean out her crate.
“She is what I would call a ‘super glue’ dog and has been since the first night,” Bishop said.
In her adoption listing, Tiffany is described as “semi active” and great with cats and other small dogs. She is spayed and is up-to-date on her vaccinations.
Tiffany’s adoption fee is $400. Bishop said the adoption fees are age-based and it’s important for prospective adopters to keep in mind many of the dogs require expensive medical care before they’re adoptable. The fees help cover those costs.
Lita Ford is an apparent poodle mix who’s about 1 year old and weighs 10 pounds. She’s quieter than some of the others, mellow and loves her people. Her adoption fee is $450 and she is good with other small dogs and cats, her adoption listing says.
Brett Michaels looks like a miniature schnauzer mix and weighs just under 14 pounds at about 9 to 10 months old. Bishop said he “likes to sing the song of his people,” indicating his suspected schnauzer heritage. Bishop described the puppy as a “lovebug” and said he loves other dogs and doesn’t mind the cats on site either. His adoption fee is $450.
Joan Jett is listed as a chihuahua and weighs about 10 pounds at 3 to 4 years old. She’s one of the higher energy girls, Bishop said, and likes to talk. Joan Jett boasts black, bat-like ears and loves to play. Her adoption fee is $400.
Sammy Hagar is listed as a dachshund and loves attention and belly rubs. He weighs 15.7 pounds and is estimated to be about 3 to 4 years old. Bishop said Sammy Hagar is likely the father of Ozzy Osbourne, a 1- to 2-year-old who weighs about 12 pounds.
Whitney, who weighs only about 7 pounds, is not yet available for adoption as she’s still producing milk for her two tiny puppies, Prince and Michael Jackson. The puppies are also not yet adoptable as they aren’t ready to be neutered yet. Whitney should be adoptable in two to three weeks, Bishop said.
Another dog from the rescue operation, Stevie Nicks, is not yet listed for adoption as she is undergoing heartworm treatment. She looks like a mini or toy Aussie and is about 5 years old. Bishop said Stevie Nicks is missing most of her teeth and is shy at first, but super sweet. Bishop expects it will be least three months until Stevie Nicks will be adoptable.
Stevie Nicks wasn’t the only mom dog they found – Alanis Morissette, a small, young, multicolored dog, was pregnant when they found her. Bishop posted on the rescue organization’s Facebook page Monday morning Alanis gave birth to two black and tan puppies. She and her puppies are not yet adoptable, and Bishop said she expects it will be at least three months until Alanis is adoptable.
In addition to the dogs rescued in Waterloo, Bishop’s Small Dog Rescue has more canines available for adoption, including Tito, Yeti and Sinny.
How to set up your rescue dog for success
Bishop said one of the main things adopters will need to do is housetraining, which will take time and patience.
The dogs seem to have no prior leash-walking experience, so Bishop said they’ll all need training for that skill. Because of this, they may do better in a home with a fenced-in yard.
It will take the dogs about three days to initially decompress after coming home, Bishop said, and having another dog in the home may be helpful as these pups are dog-friendly and used to living in a pack.
The breeds and ages are estimated, and more may be listed soon depending on timing for necessary medical appointments. The dogs haven’t been tested to determine their temperament around small children.
The application process to adopt involves a reference from your veterinarian, if applicable, and three personal references. You can apply online to adopt through wagtopia.com.
Bishop asked applicants to be honest about the animals currently living in the home, to be sure they’re spayed or neutered, that you do annual heartworm testing and that they’re on a monthly preventative. It may take about 10 to 14 days for your application to be processed.
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