117 dogs rescued in Ross settling in at Animal Friends

The 117 dogs who were rescued from a Ross Township residence are acclimating to their new lives at Animal Friends, according to a news release from the Ohio Township nonprofit.

Upon arrival, the dogs were examined by veterinary staff who found most of them to be underweight and suffering from skin issues, including fleas and bite wounds ranging from minor to one very severe wound to the head. None of the dogs were spayed or neutered, so each is being scheduled for surgery at Animal Friends and have received age-appropriate vaccinations.

Among the group were 16 puppies between the ages of 3 days and 5 weeks. The youngest puppies are now in foster homes with their mothers so they can nurse and grow.

As the dogs are medically cleared, they will continue to interact with staff and volunteers and undergo behavior evaluations before they are ready to be adopted. Because they have received little human interaction, many of them are still learning how to walk on a leash and wear a collar. They have begun working on canine manners like housebreaking and basic commands.

One by one, staff and volunteers at Animal Friends are getting to know the dogs and their unique, quirky and playful personalities.

To help with kennel space and caring for the dogs, Dog Stop Pittsburgh North in Wexford has taken in 15 of them. These dogs are not currently available for meet-and-greets with the public and all adoption applications will still be handled by Animal Friends.

To make a donation to support the rescue and care of these dogs and for updates about their progress, go to www.thinkingoutsidethecage.org.