Dozens of dogs are now in foster care after being rescued from a property in Aledo. Fort Worth-based Saving Hope told NBC 5 they had the quick response from the community to thank for their success.
Lauren Anton and Kailee Powell shared only part of the photos and videos documenting what they witnessed after arriving at the property off Aledo Iona Road.
“You can walk on the property and it looks like there are maybe 40,” Anton said. “But there are holes where you would find puppies everywhere.”
Anton is the executive director of Saving Hope, dedicated to animal rescue. She said she received a call from a woman over a week ago saying she needed help. She arrived, along with other Saving Hope staff, not knowing how much help was needed.
“Right when we got there, I realized there were a lot more dogs than I expected,” said Kailee Powell, foster care coordinator at Saving Hope.
They discovered more than 70 dogs roaming the property. They told NBC 5 the conditions were dire and some dogs had serious injuries that could not be explained.
“Humane Society was already there to investigate animal cruelty,” Anton said.
Anton said the woman who made the first call for help and signed a surrender form. The Saving Hope team got to work removing the dogs one by one; some by hand and others with humane trapping devices.
“Just seeing how many dogs were confined in that space was really hard to see,” Powell said.
Word spread online and it didn’t take long to see the goodness of the surrounding communities. Within days, more than half of the dogs were placed in foster homes.
“We’ve actually had a huge influx of host family applications. More than we’ve ever gotten before for a specific band,” Powell said. “So it’s really great that the community is showing up to help.”
They said most of the dogs are on the verge of recovery, and Anton and Powell say they are more encouraged than ever to stick with the mission of saving animals in need.
Saving Hope returned to the property on Sunday to save more dogs. By the time the rescue mission is over, they say the total number of rescued dogs could be over 80.
This story is developing. Revisit for updates.
