BIENVILLE, La. (KSLA) – The Humane Society of Louisiana (HSL) is thanking a newly-formed animal welfare group, Lengthy Paws, for saving five abandoned dogs and a puppy who was near death from a home in Bienville.
HSL officials say they were contacted by a man, who said his brother had been in jail for several days and no one had checked on his dogs. The man believed the dogs were too aggressive for anyone to enter the home. HSL then contacted the newly-formed group in the area to ask for help.
On April 5, members of the group went to the house in the 600 block of Maple Street and were able to get inside. They say the dogs were skittish and hungry, but not aggressive. They also found a dog tied to a tree in the woods behind the house. They left food and water for the dogs.
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The group also noticed a tiny white semi-conscious puppy curled up in the living room. They say she appeared to be dehydrated, starving, and too weak to move. They immediately brought her to a vet, who said she was suffering from a parasitic infection, malnutrition, dehydration, a soft tissue infection, and coccidia. She was dewormed and given pain meds and antibiotics. The vet expects her to make a full recovery.
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Lengthy Paws then contacted the Jonesboro Veterinary Clinic to help them get the other dogs out of the home. With their help, they were able to coax the dogs out of the house, catch two more that had escaped, and sedate and remove the dog who was tied to the tree. The dogs were taken to the Jonesboro clinic, where they are receiving treatment and being boarded. The puppy has been named Miracle. The others have been named Moose, Little Bean, Crunch, Daphne, and Velma.
“We are extremely grateful to Brittany, Ronald, Kelsey, Anna, Dr. Johnson, and her staff for making this rescue happen,” HSLA Director Jeff Dorson said. “Without their intervention, all the dogs and Miracle would likely have perished. Since this rescue operation is not without its costs, I also invited people from the Bienville area to donate a modest amount towards the dogs’ care.”
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Anyone interested in donating can do so online here, or can send a check or money order to HSL at the following address:
- PO Box 740321
- New Orleans, LA
- 70174
Like many other rural parishes in the state, Bienville Parish does not operate an animal shelter and does not have personnel to respond to such situations. HSL officials hope Louisiana lawmakers will address this issue during this year’s session.
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