More than 40 dogs are in need of a home after a Lynchburg woman voluntarily gave them up to the city’s animal control warden after realizing she could no longer care for them.
The dogs, all small breeds such as Chihuahuas and Jack Russell terrier mixes, are mostly healthy, said Makena Yarbrough, executive director of the Lynchburg Humane Society.
One just gave birth to a litter of five puppies after she was turned in to the shelter Wednesday evening and another is about to give birth any day, Yarbrough said. Two went to the vet to be checked out — one because of some deformities in its spine and another for hair loss issues.
“They are all pretty friendly,” Yarbrough said.
Capt. Ryan Zuidema, of the Lynchburg Police Department, said the case is not a criminal matter and no charges will be filed against the woman who turned in the dogs.
“She recognized that she was not able to care for the number of dogs and contacted animal control for help,” Zuidema said. “She wanted to get them to someone who could care for them.”
Nine have been adopted so far, Yarbrough said. Several are with foster families, including the dog that just gave birth. Yarbrough said the foster program is mainly for cats, but there are some volunteers willing to help out with the dogs.
The dogs are in large crates in a room normally used for cats. That creates a strain on the shelter’s staff members as they work to keep the crates and the dogs clean, Yarbrough said.
“When you have that many dogs coming in, you have to be creative with your space,” Yarbrough said.
Before these dogs were brought to the shelter, there were 51 dogs already at the Lynchburg Humane Society.
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