The Benton County Sheriff’s Office is investigating after 149 dogs were removed from a house fire, with only 75 surviving.
AVOCA, Ark. – An investigation is underway in Benton County after 149 dogs were removed from a home during a fire.
According to Avoca Fire Department Chief Brian Ervin, the department received a call on Saturday morning May 14 at a house in Deason Road regarding a fire in the Avoca area.
Ervin says when crews arrived at the scene, they saw heavy smoke and the owners trying to get the dogs out of the house. He says firefighters have teamed up to get the dogs out of the house, including carrying out search and rescue.
Ervin says some of the rescued dogs received breathing treatments using special masks. He also says the family of 5 or 6 made it safely and are being assisted by the Red Cross.
Firefighters from Rogers, Beaver Lake, Little Flock, Nebco and Pea Ridge responded and helped in an attempt to save the dogs.
The Benton County Sheriff’s Office says a total of 149 dogs were removed from the home.
Only 73 of the dogs removed from the home survived, according to the Benton County Sheriff’s Office. The remains were taken to the Human Society for Animals Inc. in Rogers.
The Benton County Sheriff’s Office is also investigating due to the number of dogs removed from the home.
Firefighters are investigating the cause of the fire.
There were 149 Chihuahuas and 75 survived and are at the shelter.
Rogers’ NWA Humane Society for Animals has been caring for the 75 chihuahuas since Saturday. Manager Clayton Morgan says the dogs have been dewormed, vaccinated, given physical exams and given all the medications they need. He says they are all in good health except for some skin conditions.
“I think a lot of their trauma is neglect in terms of how you love 150 puppies, 150 dogs. How do you show each of them love,” he said.
Events like this are what Morgan says are keeping shelter workers like him across the country awake at night.
“When we buy animals that’s where our animals come from and we have to stop and think and it doesn’t matter if it’s a little chihuahua or the labradoodle you know we have to stop and think where these are coming from. dogs from,” he said.
Morgan hopes this story will remind people to adopt from shelters instead of shopping.
“They were using the dogs for breeding, and those dogs end up being sold and that’s the situation we’re in now with those dogs. If there hadn’t been a market for the dogs, they wouldn’t have had 150 dogs,” he said.
Check back for updates on this developing story.
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