36 dogs in Lansing found living in a van with their owner
Man found living inside van with 36 dogs in Lansing
Thirty-six dogs were living in a rundown minivan along with their owner. He had been moving from parking lot to parking lot around the Lansing area after recently coming from Florida. On Thursday, investigators and the Capital Area Humane Society stepped in while he was allegedly trying to sell puppies.
LANSING, Mich. (FOX 2) - Dozens of dogs were found living in a van with their owner. From puppies to pregnant dogs, they were all packed inside. Meanwhile, a rescue group stepped in just in time, but there’s still more work to do.
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Thirty-six dogs were living in a rundown minivan along with their owner. He had been moving from parking lot to parking lot around the Lansing area after recently coming from Florida.
On Thursday, investigators and the Capital Area Humane Society stepped in while he was allegedly trying to sell puppies.
Those 10 puppies have now been rescued.
"And two mama dogs were ready to give birth, and one gave birth within an hour of getting into our shelter, so she was in distress," said Julia Willson, president and CEO of the Capital Area Humane Society.
Dig deeper:
The difficult part is that the rest of the dogs are staying with the owner for now. The Eaton County Prosecutor’s Office says there was not enough evidence for cruelty or neglect charges that would allow authorities to seize the dogs.
However, all the dogs are now at least up to date on vaccinations. The head of the Capital Area Humane Society says they are continuing to push for accountability.
"It’s what we do next, making sure we have the animals’ best interests in mind while also considering the wellbeing of the owner," said Willson.
What's next:
Adoptions for the surrendered dogs are on hold. They will remain in foster homes as the situation continues to evolve.