ST. TAMMANY PARISH, La. — One person is under arrest in an animal cruelty case and nearly 30 dogs were confiscated from a home in rural St. Tammany Parish.
And that case is adding to the record-breaking numbers of animals already at the St. Tammany Parish Animal Shelter in need of homes.
A puppy is one of the lucky ones. A Ponchatoula woman drove 40 minutes to the St. Tammany Animal Shelter in Lacombe to rescue him.
“I just see on Facebook almost like pretty much, like every shelter kind of full right now. I don't know why, and like people don't really adopt much anymore,” said Patty Philyaw, who was going to foster the puppy first to make sure her dog gets along with it.
The St. Tammany Animal Shelter right now is overwhelmed, with nearly 300 animals. That is way more than the usual high number of 125. There are two reasons.
“Number one, I think is inflation. The cost of everything has gone up and you know pets are a luxury in a lot of ways, said Rob Bremer, Director of the St. Tammany Department of Animal Services.
Add to people unable to afford their pets, the recent investigation of a place in rural St. Tammany of an alleged puppy mill. Nearly 30 dogs and some cats were confiscated by animal control.
“Things were pretty nasty, and the animals were scared to death. They weren't really socialized. They really needed a groom, scared to death, full of worms,” recounted Bremer.
Some of the terriers surrendered by the owner are in the shelter. Others have been pulled by animal rescue groups. One arrest was made in this case of alleged animal cruelty. The shelter director says puppy mills are all too common.
“I would encourage everybody, if you're buying an animal, a purebred animal, to go to the facility that those animals are being bred at, and see that they're being treated humanely,” Bremer asked.
In the meantime, along with the mixes, there are purebreds at the shelter, like one-year-old white German Shepherds abandoned at a construction site.
An entire litter of Australian Cattle Dog puppies was just dumped at the locks in Pearl River. A lot of times, puppies get adopted fast but, the adults don't.
“We need your help. We can not continue to be a life-saving facility without the community's help, and the community's investment by fostering our animals with us, adopting our animals,” pleaded Bremer.
If you are in need, the St. Tammany Animal Shelter can help with the cost of your pet. There are vouchers for low-cost spay, neuter. There is low-cost veterinary care and a community pet food pantry.
Learn more here.
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