Seven-year-old Nimbus didn’t know how his life was about to change when he was rescued on February 27, 2016 from a Midwest puppy mill and brought, along with 114 other dogs, to National Mill Dog Rescue’s (NMDR) headquarters in Peyton, Colorado.  Nimbus had been a breeding dog for most of his life, but he was no longer profitable to the mill owner; and so, one way or another, he had to go.

Thanks to the delicate relationships National Mill Dog Rescue Executive Director Theresa Strader has built with about 150 commercial breeders, tiny Nimbus got a chance for a whole new life.

Nimbus was part of one of the largest rescue efforts in the organization’s 9-year history. Dubbed Hearts2Hearts, the trip covered 1,800 miles in 56 hours through three states, with three rescue vehicles and a team of nine experienced rescuers.

Strader led this latest run, as she so often does, and she oversaw the dogs’ care and treatment post-arrival at Lily’s Haven, the spacious NMDR kennel facility.  Below are a few remarks noted in her recent reports.

“The following is a list of conditions our veterinary team found in this group of dogs: severe dental disease, broken and/or decaying jaws, dry eye, ear infections, orthopedic diseases, mange, cherry eye, hernias, luxating patellas, cataracts, eye infections, blindness, skin infections, injuries/wounds, foot lesions, pyometra, mammary tumors, heart murmurs, neurological disorders, respiratory illnesses, alopecia, severe matting of fur, fleas and ticks, internal parasites and a variety of congenital defects. After doing the math, 95 percent of our new arrivals are suffering from one or more of these conditions.

Unfortunately, there is nothing new or unusual with this group of dogs. It is so deeply disheartening to see them in such horrible condition, an utter betrayal of the human-animal bond. There is so much work yet to be done to abolish this cruelty.

Despite these deplorable conditions, the vast majority of the dogs greet us with resilient and forgiving spirits, wagging their tails, kissing our hands and accepting our touch. As ever, a few will take more time to find their courage; but, over time, we will make all of them well and prepare them for the life they’ve always deserved.”

Courtesy of National Mill Dog Rescue

For more information about National Mill Dog Rescue, including photos of available dogs, visit: www.milldogrescue.org.