DELAWARE COUNTY — Nearly a dozen apparently abandoned dogs were rescued by officials from Muncie Animal Care & Services on Wednesday after a passerby noticed the dogs running in a field in northwestern Delaware County.
According to officials with Muncie Animal Care & Services, the passerby, Crystal Allen-Altic, attempted to catch the 11 dogs — 10 chihuahua mixes and one terrier mix — but the animals were terrified and many retreated into a drainage pipe.
Senior animal control officers Perry Hughes and Brandy Cox, along with animal control officers in-training Phillip Parsons and Jessica Adams, worked for approximately four hours to safely contain all 11 dogs.
Animal control officials said the dogs do not appear to have any life-threatening issues and are awaiting full medical checkups. Two of the animals are pregnant and have been placed in a foster home. Two of the dogs are underweight and three others have skin infections or sores.
Officials said none of the dogs are spayed or neutered. Most of the dogs are terrified and acting defensively, an indication that they have had little socialization and were abandoned, animal control officials said.
Officials with Muncie Animal Care & Services said all of the dogs are expected to make a full recovery and learn to trust again.
Anyone with information on the situation is asked to call Muncie Animal Care & Services at 765-747-4851.
The agency is also in need of blankets and monetary donations for their care. Additional information can be found on the agency's Facebook page.
