“Championing Canines: Advocating for a Better Life for Dogs in Need”

It happened again. Just as we were working to take in a large number of dogs from a case in southwest Iowa, another desperate call for help came in – this time on the other side of the state … and it was urgent.

The dogs were being held in cages indoors where it was even hotter than the sweltering temperatures outside … and temps were climbing. The dogs were living in their own filth, with no fresh air or air conditioning, and our rescue team was overtaken by the smell before they even stepped inside. Inspection reports shined an even more devastating light on the situation – multiple dogs had been injured, some dogs had died, and now 39 more were at risk.

We are already desperately full with hundreds of dogs at our shelter, but the calls for help keep coming. The dangerously hot weather meant we couldn’t wait until we had the space to bring these dogs back to our shelter, so we worked with our partners last week to build a temporary housing facility where the dogs could be clean, cool, and safely cared for until we could start them on their journey toward a new life.