Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
DOGS THAT were seized from a Wakefield house are recovering at the HOPE Animal Shelter in Ironwood. HOPE submitted the photos.
By RALPH ANSAMI
Ironwood - The eight dogs and 13 cats that were accepted by the HOPE Animal Shelter in an investigation of animal abuse are recovering, but not yet available for adoption.
A worker at HOPE said Tuesday morning that the animals might be available for adoption next week, at the soonest, after being evaluated by a veterinarian and given the proper shots and treatments. She said the pets came in frightened, but are recovering and are now eager to see HOPE volunteers in the morning.
On July 25, after receiving a complaint, the Gogebic County Sheriff's Department found the dogs and cats malnourished at a house owned by two Wakefield men.
Lawrence Murphy, 52, and Gerard Herlache, 51, were arrested on felony animal cruelty charges and arraigned in Gogebic County Court on Monday. They both face two counts of abandoning/cruelty of 10 or more animals.
The small dogs were cleaned up of their matted and tangled fur with the assistance of the Puppy Parlor in Ironwood.
"A lot of the dogs had to be shaved down to, basically, just their skin, which isn't really healthy, long-term, but that was really the only way to get rid of the mats and all the stuff that was attached to the mats," HOPE Animal Shelter director Randy Kirchhoff told WLUC-TV 6 of Marquette.
All the cats went to a veterinarian on Wednesday and received shots, according to a HOPE spokesperson. Appointments were made for those who weren't spayed or neutered.
The dogs are next and will all see the veterinarian soon, added the spokesperson.
HOPE, a nonprofit shelter, accepts donations to help with the costs of housing and feeding animals, as well as veterinarian services, for those who are lodged there.
The spokesperson said many in the community have responded to this incident by bringing in food, blankets, wash soap and other items, as well as monetary donations.
"It's a terrible situation, but the community has really rallied," she said.
For more information, visit the HOPE website: myhopeanimalshelter.org.
