Animal shelters across the United States are struggling for space and operating cash, but a no-kill shelter, Waccamaw Animal Rescue Mission, couldn't turn its back on 23 puppies and dogs recently in need of rescue.
The dogs and pups are a fraction of at least 80 animals found at the home of an elderly couple in Horry County.

"I'm sure they loved the dogs, but it just got away from them," said Julie Finlayson of WARM. She said she was contacted by a neighbor after the couple reached out for help. Finlayson learned the woman was in the hospital and was asked to remove the animals before she returned home. The woman's husband and neighbor helped with the removal, Finlayson said.

With her shelter at capacity, Finlayson took all the dogs her shelter can handle. She said another rescue group she would not identify also took some dogs. Some dogs had to remain outside the couple's home. Finlayson is looking for help from the public to ensure the dogs are cared for and adopted.

"We didn't want them to go to the pound," Finlayson said of the animals taken in by her shelter.

Animal hoarding is being addressed nationwide, and almost 250,000 animals are victims of hoarding every year, according to the Humane Society of the United States. Hoarders own more than a typical number of animals, yet lack the ability to provide minimal nutrition, sanitation, shelter and veterinary care, which often leads to starvation, illness and death for the animals. Unsanitary conditions that attract insects and rodents also can lead to health hazards for owners and their neighbors.
According to Hoarding of Animals Research Consortium, a psychiatric research group, animal hoarders may begin with altruistic aims but eventually lose sight of their declining situation.

Horry County Council held discussions several months ago on animal ordinances, but nothing has been passed yet, said Lisa Bourcier, public information officer for the county. She said Paul Whitten, assistant administrator for public safety, wants a complete rewrite of the animal ordinances to update issues such as exotic pets and to include an animal hoarding ordinance, which would be new.
"Probably within the next 30 days we'll bring those issues back up," Bourcier said. "It's a health issue for the animals."

The dogs taken to WARM include three older dogs, two nursing mothers and 18 puppies ranging in age from 2 to 8 weeks old, with four having just opened their eyes. Quarantined for now, visitors to the newcomers' area must step into a 10 percent Clorox solution upon entering and leaving to keep from introducing new germs or potentially carrying out disease.

As Finlayson opened the cage Tuesday morning where 11 of the older puppies were snuggled up together, she checked the gums of one and was pleased.

"When they came in, the gums were yellow to gray," she said. "Now they're pink."
Finlayson said their flea bites had made the dogs anemic, so they're all getting puppy food and iron right now. It will be another week before the dogs will be verified free of disease and at least a month before they can be adopted. Before they leave, Finlayson said they will be spayed or neutered, vaccinated, microchipped and tested for parvovirus, "because that's such a killer."

WARM is a no-kill, nonprofit refuge for all types of animals, including goats, donkeys and pigs. Some roam the barnyard; others are separated according to their circumstances. All are rescued with the hope they will be adopted by loving human companions.

"They've all got a story," said Finlayson, who can reel off facts about every creature that lives on the farm.

But it takes cash to keep WARM and other shelters in business. Most depend on monetary donations, as well as donated services, goods and volunteers. Those that receive some governmental funding, such as the Grand Strand Humane Society Animal Shelter, have seen their share drop each year. GSHS requested $350,000 from the Myrtle Beach City Council, but was cut to $173,000 when the spending plan was OK'd on June 22.