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More than 100 dogs rescued from puppy mill living in ‘their own filth and darkness’ [photos]

Volunteer Matthew Tylicki holds one of the dogs rescued from the Rhea County puppy mill in the grooming area at the Humane Educational Society on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018 in Chattanooga, Tenn. Over 100 dogs were removed from a puppy mill in Rhea County. Dogs, include Yorkies, chihuahuas and other designer breeds, according to the county shelter's Facebook page, were taken to the Humane Educational Society in Chattanooga and to Nashville. As of Wednesday morning, more than $25,000 had been raised by the Rhea County Animal Shelter to help the dogs. To donate, visit https://www.facebook.com/rheacountyanimalshelter/. HES is also asking the public for help. To donate, visit https://www.heschatt.org/donate/. Volunteer Matthew Tylicki holds one of the dogs rescued from the Rhea County puppy mill in the grooming area at the Humane Educational Society on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018 in Chattanooga, Tenn. Over 100 dogs were removed from a puppy mill in Rhea County. Dogs, include Yorkies, chihuahuas and other designer breeds, according to the county shelter's Facebook page, were taken to the Humane Educational Society in Chattanooga and to Nashville. As of Wednesday morning, more than $25,000 had been raised by the Rhea County Animal Shelter to help the dogs. To donate, visit https://www.facebook.com/rheacountyanimalshelter/. HES is also asking the public for help. To donate, visit https://www.heschatt.org/donate/.

By Staff Report October 10, 2018 1 min read

Photo Gallery

Dog rescue

Heather Bradshaw smiles at one of the dogs rescued from a Rhea County puppy mill at the Humane Educational Society on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018 in Chattanooga, Tenn. Over 100 dogs were removed from a puppy mill in Rhea County. Dogs, include Yorkies, chihuahuas and other designer breeds, according to the county shelter's Facebook page, were taken to the Humane Educational Society in Chattanooga and to Nashville. As of Wednesday morning, more than $25,000 had been raised by the Rhea County Animal Shelter to help the dogs. To donate, visit https://www.facebook.com/rheacountyanimalshelter/. HES is also asking the public for help. To donate, visit https://www.heschatt.org/donate/.

Veterinarian Tai Federico, left, and Heather Bradshaw, right, perform a medical exam on one of the dogs rescued from a Rhea County puppy mill at the Humane Educational Society on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018 in Chattanooga, Tenn. Over 100 dogs were removed from a puppy mill in Rhea County. Dogs, include Yorkies, chihuahuas and other designer breeds, according to the county shelter's Facebook page, were taken to the Humane Educational Society in Chattanooga and to Nashville. As of Wednesday morning, more than $25,000 had been raised by the Rhea County Animal Shelter to help the dogs. To donate, visit https://www.facebook.com/rheacountyanimalshelter/. HES is also asking the public for help. To donate, visit https://www.heschatt.org/donate/.

Veterinarian Tai Federico, right, and Heather Bradshaw, perform a medical exam on one of the dogs rescued from a Rhea County puppy mill at the Humane Educational Society on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018 in Chattanooga, Tenn. Over 100 dogs were removed from a puppy mill in Rhea County. Dogs, include Yorkies, chihuahuas and other designer breeds, according to the county shelter's Facebook page, were taken to the Humane Educational Society in Chattanooga and to Nashville. As of Wednesday morning, more than $25,000 had been raised by the Rhea County Animal Shelter to help the dogs. To donate, visit https://www.facebook.com/rheacountyanimalshelter/. HES is also asking the public for help. To donate, visit https://www.heschatt.org/donate/.

Heather Bradshaw, right, comforts a dog as veterinarian Tai Federico works on it while performing medical exams of dogs rescued from a Rhea County puppy mill at the Humane Educational Society on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018 in Chattanooga, Tenn. Over 100 dogs were removed from a puppy mill in Rhea County. Dogs, include Yorkies, chihuahuas and other designer breeds, according to the county shelter's Facebook page, were taken to the Humane Educational Society in Chattanooga and to Nashville. As of Wednesday morning, more than $25,000 had been raised by the Rhea County Animal Shelter to help the dogs. To donate, visit https://www.facebook.com/rheacountyanimalshelter/. HES is also asking the public for help. To donate, visit https://www.heschatt.org/donate/.

Veterinarian Tai Federico scans a dog for a microchip while performing medical exams on dogs rescued from a Rhea County puppy mill at the Humane Educational Society on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018 in Chattanooga, Tenn. Over 100 dogs were removed from a puppy mill in Rhea County. Dogs, include Yorkies, chihuahuas and other designer breeds, according to the county shelter's Facebook page, were taken to the Humane Educational Society in Chattanooga and to Nashville. As of Wednesday morning, more than $25,000 had been raised by the Rhea County Animal Shelter to help the dogs. To donate, visit https://www.facebook.com/rheacountyanimalshelter/. HES is also asking the public for help. To donate, visit https://www.heschatt.org/donate/.

Volunteer Luciane Mathias washes one of the dogs rescued from a Rhea County puppy mill at the Humane Educational Society on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018 in Chattanooga, Tenn. Over 100 dogs were removed from a puppy mill in Rhea County. Dogs, include Yorkies, chihuahuas and other designer breeds, according to the county shelter's Facebook page, were taken to the Humane Educational Society in Chattanooga and to Nashville. As of Wednesday morning, more than $25,000 had been raised by the Rhea County Animal Shelter to help the dogs. To donate, visit https://www.facebook.com/rheacountyanimalshelter/. HES is also asking the public for help. To donate, visit https://www.heschatt.org/donate/.

Volunteer Luciane Mathias dries off a rescued dog after bathing it at the Humane Educational Society on Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2018 in Chattanooga, Tenn. Over 100 dogs were removed from a puppy mill in Rhea County. Dogs, include Yorkies, chihuahuas and other designer breeds, according to the county shelter's Facebook page, were taken to the Humane Educational Society in Chattanooga and to Nashville. As of Wednesday morning, more than $25,000 had been raised by the Rhea County Animal Shelter to help the dogs. To donate, visit https://www.facebook.com/rheacountyanimalshelter/. HES is also asking the public for help. To donate, visit https://www.heschatt.org/donate/.

Local shelters are working to process more than 100 dogs that were rescued from a home in Rhea County this week.

The dogs, which include Yorkies, chihuahuas and other designer breeds, were found Tuesday morning after an anonymous tip was called in, Rhea County Animal Control Director Cheyenne Swofford said Wednesday.

She said she couldn’t provide any other details about the investigation, but in a Facebook post, the shelter said the situation was “the worst puppy mill situation we have ever seen.”

“These poor animals have known nothing but living in their own filth and darkness,” the post reads. “These conditions are extreme and medical attention is needed for ALL of these animals.”