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Rescued dachshunds need homes
When 700 dachshunds were seized from a puppy mill in Parkersburg, W.Va., Aug. 23, the local members of Dachshund Rescue of North America went right to work.
Four mother dachshunds and their puppies found foster homes in Leesburg. The organization needs more foster homes and will be looking for adopters in a month or two.
Thus far, the Manassas branch of the organization has taken over the care of 21 of the little dogs, including 13 nursing puppies.
"We operate like an adoption agency," one of the founders said. She prefers to remain nameless to deter puppy-seekers from showing up at her door. Adopters must fill out an application through the Web site.
The puppies will not be up for adoption until they are 12 weeks old, and they will be neutered before they are placed. All will have had all their shots and their teeth cleaned and will have been tested for heart worm.
The adults are a bigger challenge. These dogs have lived their entire lives in wire cages and have done nothing but crank out puppies, the rescue representative said. They were not abused, as such, but they never had the chance to get to know humans.
They are friendly, the representative said, but they are very tentative.
"It's disappointing to me that everyone is interested in the puppies," the rescuer said. "We have all these adult dogs that need foster homes. We are looking for people who already have a well-adjusted dachshund in a calm environment." She still has two young adult males in her home, waiting for that foster parent.
The kennel owner, Sharon Roberts, according to the Humane Society of the United States, had been cranking out thousands of puppies at her Whispering Oaks Kennels since 1961. She signed over 1,000-plus dogs and puppies, including the 700 dachshunds, to rescue groups, and agreed never to breed dogs again rather than face charges.
The dachshund breed was developed over many years in Germany as a hunting dog, particularly to go to ground after a badger (in German, a "dachs").
Dachshund Rescue of North America, founded 10 years ago, found homes for 1,000 dachshunds last year, about 250 of them in Virginia. It has a list of foster homes all over Northern Virgina. Go to www.drna.org and click on Virginia to reach the local group. Or e-mail inquiries to mayberry63@msn.com.
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