Shelter helping nearly 30 dogs found abandoned in local junkyard find new homes

The local nonprofit All But Furgotten received a phone call about 30 dogs being left in a junk yard. Police said the dogs were all expensive work dogs and were abandoned by a breeder.

“It’s not like having 28 golden retrievers that could go to anybody,” Ruth Thompson said.

Thompson is the founder of Anna’s Shelter in Erie. She’s now taking care of nearly 30 dogs after they were found dumped in a junkyard off Mount Thor Road in Greensburg.

“They had literally been abandoned in small crates and cages. No food. No water,” Thompson said. “I know the temperatures down there in Pittsburgh were up into the 80s the day that they were found. The dogs needed out, which is why we pulled together so quickly with those other rescues to make that happen.”

Pennsylvania State Police have not filed charges at this time, but say a former breeder dropped the dogs on the junkyard’s land after the breeder was evicted.

Over 10 different humane societies, shelters and kennels worked together to save the dogs in under 24 hours. Now they are being nursed back to health at Anna’s Shelter.

The owners of the junkyard said this comes after they reported finding the animals left behind there.

“We have a veterinarian here on staff. We have a triage team on staff. We own a building that has 100 kennels in it for situations like these,” Thompson said.

The dogs are a mix of Belgian Malinois and German Shepherd, breeds known to work alongside law enforcement. Thompson says their goal is to rid them of parasites, have them trained and find them new homes.

“We are going to get them the right home. Because, again, it’s not like places golden retrievers who can go to anybody,” Thompson said. “These dogs are going to need working homes. They are bred for a purpose, and we are going to make sure we honor that.”

State police are still working on filing charges.

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