126 Pugs Rescued From Puppy Mill By Sheriff’s Officers Now Need A Home

Puppy mills are one of the darker realities of dog breeding, where the dogs are sold for maximum profit with the minimum of care. Last week, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department received an anonymous tip that an alleged puppy mill may have been operating out of a home. The MCSO’s MASH (Maricopa Animal Safe Haven) Unit went to investigate and found 126 pugs and 3 senior French Bulldogs living inside the house!

A couple was reportedly breeding and selling the animals, although the couple denies this claim.

One of the MASH officers on the scene recorded what they saw when they entered the home on video. The footage of the rescue was caught via the officer’s body camera. There are pugs everywhere and in every room!

The dogs were taken back to the MASH Unit’s facilities, which acts as a shelter for animals they rescue where they are currently being evaluated by veterinarians. “All of the dogs are currently being treated for intestinal parasites and ticks. At this time none of the dogs have be cleared to be spayed/neutered,” writes the MASH Unit on Facebook.

The pugs range in age from 4 weeks to 4-years old and will not be available for adoption just yet, but they are accepting applications, although they are not planning to extend their adoptions out of state.

They say that they will list when the dogs are ready for adoption on Facebook and their website once they have been cleared medically.

In one wonderful piece of news, some of the pugs will be adopted by an organization that will train them to be service dogs for veterans suffering from PTSD.

I’m very glad to see the pugs have been rescued and will be finding new loving families to take care of them! Good job Sheriff Arpaio and MCSO!

Update: December 8, 2015

MASH is now accepting adoption applications. If live in the state of Arizona, fill out the Cat/Dog Adoption Contact and the Cat/Dog Adoption Questionnaire (they can be found here) and mail them to the Mash Unit by December 21st, 2015:

ATTN: MASH Unit
201 S. 4th Ave
Phoenix, AZ 85003

Please share this rescue story with your friends!

Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links.