Animal officers seize 65 dogs from home in central Oklahoma

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — An Oklahoma animal shelter is searching for new homes for 65 dogs, including 22 puppies, which were seized from a mobile home in Norman.

Norman Police Capt. Tom Easley says the city's animal welfare department received an anonymous tip last week about a home overrun with dogs, including poodles, Shih Tzus, Pomeranians, Pekingese, Chihuahuas and spaniels.

Easley says two of the adult dogs are pregnant.

Animal welfare officers say all 65 of the animals appear to be adoptable and that the city's animal shelter is waiving its typical adoption fee of $60 to make room for the dogs.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/3f058b7d4aa14fec940b1987c909c327/animal-officers-seize-65-dogs-home-central-oklahoma

[magical thyme]

1. sounds like a puppy mill. and if the dogs are in good shape (all adoptable) and no charges filed

what are the grounds for taking them?

Don't get me wrong; I don't like puppy mills at all. But I also don't like to see well cared for critters seized just because they can.

Adopting dogs (and cats) out without an adoption fee because there's no room at the shelter also seems like a recipe for disaster for dogs that end up "adopted" by pond scum for all the wrong reasons. I'd hate to read later that even one ended up a "bait" dog or "snuff film" torture victim.

[Tess49]

2. I live here. I may adopt a couple of these babies. Some of their pictures are in

today's paper. They are small breeds. I lost my last dog about 3 years ago and think this may be the catalyst to adopt another. Or two. Have to check with the cat first!! I think she'll go for it. As long as it's not another cat, I think she'll be good. She seems to actually like dogs.

[magical thyme]

3. kudos in advance! certainly take a couple, with kitteh's permission of course!

Most of the breeds listed are definitely small, so I figured they all probably are.

[secondwind]

5. I hear you.. :-(

[haele]

4. 65 dogs in a mobile home is miserable, no matter how well they were treated or how small they are.

A single wide is anywhere from 600 - 1200 sq ft of living space (which including dividing walls, utility areas, storage spaces, cabinets, sinks, etc), and most doublewides top out at 1500. If the owner is living there (hopefully, without a family) and has all those dogs, it would still be the equivalent of keeping them in medium-sized dog airplane kennels whenever they're inside - and that's being generous.
The owner himself (or herself), will occupy at least 450 - 600 sq. ft of the place for his or her own belongings and furniture - if it's not a hoarder situation. Then, you need horizontal area for the dogs to get around that they can safely get to (no vertical "pathways" or shelves high up on the walls, or using tops of cabinets as can be done with multiple cats in a small space) , and the dog food, and a place for the dog droppings - and all the cleaning...

Sigh.

Something there got out of hand for someone. It's lucky that they think the animals are all adoptable.

Haele

[Archae]

6. We're quick to condemn this person, without knowing all the facts.

Someone above already labeled it a "puppy mill."

It could be like the stereotypical "crazy cat lady," taking in strays but it all get completely out of hand.

We just had a guy in Green Bay kill his seven dogs, then set the house he was renting on fire.

[magical thyme]

9. I said it "sounds like" a puppy mill. not labeling it. but 22 puppies and 2 pregnant dogs,

all apparently popular pure breds and popular mixes. And from the photos and description ("adoptable&quot apparently in reasonably good health and condition.

Hoarding situations that get out of hand usually don't have the animals in good condition.

Horrible that somebody killed their 7 dogs.

[Sunlei]

7. The pictures look like very nice dogs and their pups.Were the dogs sick or rules limit the numbers?

Those small 'Doodles' pups out of obviously a nice purebred miniature poodle mother, sell for a lot of money.

[magical thyme]

10. since they look healthy and the article says they are all "adoptable" I'd guess they're healthy

so there are probably rules limiting the numbers.

[SheilaT]

8. That many dogs sounds more like hoarding.

No matter what is actually going on, it's nice to know these animals have been rescued.

[hunter]

11. Yep, animal hoarding is horrible.

I once had a neighbor who hoarded car parts, but car parts are not living beings, so he was harmless.

Seriously, this planet doesn't need any more dogs or people.

There are plenty of abandoned dogs and people in the shelters.

We have three dogs, all adopted from the animal shelter.

They are lovely dogs, but they are spayed an neutered.

[SheilaT]

12. I'm a cat person myself,

but same thing. All of my cats have come from a shelter or found me.