MUSCATINE, Iowa — Five of the 42 dogs rescued from a mobile home in Fruitland, Iowa, are ready for adoption. The dogs were transferred to the Muscatine Humane Society in February after local authorities received tips of neglect.
Muscatine Humane Society Director, Chris McGinnis, said she knew taking in 42 neglected dogs would be a huge project to take on.
"They were terrified, that was the saddest part of it. They had no idea why they were being put into a pet taxi, then into a vehicle, then into a shelter," McGinnis said. "And I'm sure there were smells here. And you know it was a scary, scary day for them."
But over the last month the dogs have made incredible progress.
"They recognize us now. They know they're going to get fed, they know they're going to get handled," McGinnis said. "They know they're going to get moved in and outdoors. I feel like they have like a new outlook on life."
Due to the neglect the dogs faced — the director warned anyone interested in adopting them to know they may require extra attention at first.
"The biggest advice is they're going to need training. They're not going to be a dog that you can just bring into your home and expect a lot from them," said McGinnis. "You know, they've never even had a name. So if you have other pets in the household, these are going to be different."
"They had to fight for their food. So with other dogs, we feed them all separately, because with other dogs, they're guarding their food, and as to be expected, because they never had enough," she said.
The humane society will work with anyone interested in adopting one of the five dogs. They recommend adopting two together to help keep a constant in their lives — though it is not necessary.
The eligible dogs are not listed on the humane society's website.