Rescue Group Says Sick, Abandoned Puppies are Growing Trend

The Heartland Weimaraner Rescue is hoping a litter of abandoned puppies will survive, but funds to care for the pups are running low.

Wednesday, August 18th 2010, 11:03 pm

By: News 9


By Colleen Chen, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Heartland Weimaraner Rescue is hoping a litter of abandoned puppies will survive, but funds to care for the pups are running low.

The group said a litter of seven heat-stricken and malnourished Weimaraner puppies were dumped in an empty field in early August. Two of the dogs were in such bad shape that they had to be put down.

The rescue took the remaining puppies to Gentle Care Animal Hospital to be treated by Dr. Chris Rispoli.

"You put a lot of effort into it and you fall in love with them. How can you not fall in love with that face?" Rispoli said.

The veterinarian is providing at cost services to the rescue to help save the dogs. Although two more puppies have died, three are still fighting for life.

Rispoli said all the dogs suffer from the Parvo Virus. The emaciated puppies are receiving around the clock care.

"It's such a heartbreak, but unfortunately it is not the first time we've seen it," said Heartland Weimaraner Rescue's Keri Irvin.

Irvin said more and more litters are being dumped by irresponsible owners and breeders who don't want to care for sick dogs. Dr. Rispoli doesn't like to think about the reason the puppies are in his care.

"I do a lot of rescues and you tend not to listen to the stories because if you do, you tend to hate people. I just prefer to think God sent them to me, and now it's my chance to get them through it," Rispoli said.

The rescue operates on a small budget and is having difficulty finding funds to continue care for the latest litter of abandoned pups. Even with Rispoli's volunteered time, the cost of care has reached $2,500 and continues to grow.

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