January 24-25, 2024 – In an operation dubbed Operation Out of the Box, Animal Rescue Corps (ARC), a national animal protection nonprofit organization, rescued 46 Chihuahuas from a closing commercial breeder in Missouri. These dogs, formerly part of a profit-driven breeding operation, are now under the care of ARC at their Rescue Center near Nashville.
When the ARC field team arrived at the breeding operation, the property was strewn with broken-down cars, rusted farm equipment, and patchwork fences. They saw chihuahuas running loose in a yard scattered with corrugated tin hutches that were “home” to many of these dogs, surrounded by electrical cords dangling from fences and bushes. Inside the wasp- and spider-infested hutches were small, shivering adult dogs and puppies huddled in the corners. Each hutch had only a single heat lamp for warmth during this record-setting freezing winter. More than two dozen dogs, including litters of puppies, were also running loose in a home on the property.
ARC was in Missouri on a different case, assisting multiple groups with a separate multi-agency, large-scale surrender of other discarded puppy mill dogs, when the urgent call came in requesting help for the chihuahuas impacted by the breeder shutdown. ARC immediately initiated a rescue deployment for the chihuahuas, ARC’s third rescue operation across two states in ten days. This rescue operation showcases ARC's commitment to saving animals from neglect and exploitation. The chihuahuas will receive medical, physical, and social care at the ARC Rescue Center before being matched, placed with, and transported to vetted partners in high-adoption regions nationwide.
Tim Woodward, ARC's Executive Director, emphasized the importance of choosing adoption over supporting commercial breeding. "Adopting a companion animal is a conscious and compassionate choice against the exploitation seen in commercial breeding. We're thrilled to rescue these 46 chihuahuas, giving them the chance to be treated as valued family members instead of commodities for profit."
After rehabilitation, each dog will find a loving home with ARC’s network of placement partners, contributing to ARC's mission of ending animal suffering through direct and compassionate action and inspiring the highest ethical standards of humanity towards animals.
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