PARKERSBURG - When Maryann Hollis left Philadelphia to start her new position as executive director of the Humane Society of Parkersburg three weeks ago, Parkersburg seemed to be a small, sleepy town.
That is, until 1,000 dogs were dropped in her lap Saturday and she found herself in the midst of one of the largest animal-rescue operations in the nation and the largest in West Virginia history.
Luckily, she's had some help as organizations and volunteers from across the nation have pitched in to help move and care for the dogs.
Article Photos
AP Photo
In this photo provided by Best Friends Animal Society, a puppy is shown at the Whispering Oaks Kennels in Parkersburg, W.Va., on Aug. 23.
The dogs were surrendered by Whispering Oaks Kennel after officials executed a search warrant at Sharon Roberts' Internet-based dog-breeding business at 301 Whispering Oaks Lane, Parkersburg. Roberts agreed to give up the dogs and refrain from operating a breeding business in exchange for not facing charges.
However, the Wood County Sheriff's Department reported the owner's husband, Edwin R. Roberts, 73, of 301 Whispering Oaks Lane, Parkersburg, was arrested at 4:25 p.m. Sunday on charges of assault of a police officer and obstructing a police officer.
It took two days to move all the dogs into a Parkersburg warehouse for temporary housing. There is much still to do: each of those thousand dogs has to been by a veterinarian. Each needs its cage cleaned, fed, watered and perhaps an occasional scratch behind the ear.
Fact Box
LEND THEM A PAW
To donate or volunteer to help with the 1,000-dog rescue, call the Humane Society of Parkersburg at 304-422-5541.
The warehouse was a flurry of activity Sunday, with dozens of volunteers moving dogs, cleaning cages, feeding dogs, bringing in supplies and checking on puppies and pregnant dogs - which will soon be moved to where they can be better cared for - about to give birth.
Many of those volunteers are from Parkersburg. Others hail from all over the nation - from groups including the Humane Society of the United States, Best Friends Animal Society, the Humane Society of Missouri, the Tampa Bay Disaster Animal Response Team and United Animal Nations.
The majority of the dogs aren't the puppies people usually purchased from Whispering Oaks for several hundred dollars each. Although there are many puppies, as well as some yet to be born, most are adults, Hollis said.
"These were the dogs that were breeding machines," she said.
The dogs were kept in wire mesh enclosures, most about 3 feet by 3 feet, resembling rabbit hutches.
Carrie Roe, the Humane Society of Parkersburg's board president. said dogs who have lived their lives on wire mesh often have difficulty learning to deal with other surfaces.
Applications for adoption won't be accepted until Saturday. Roe said finding homes for the dogs will be a complicated process.
"These dogs have had very little human attention, they fight for it. Dogs from puppy mills typically don't do well with other dogs. These dogs have never been on a leash," she said.
The cost of the rescue operation could exceed $100,000 and the Humane Society of Parkersburg needs monetary donations most of all, Hollis said. Volunteers are also in need of meals.