OZARK, Mo. (AP) - Animal welfare advocates rescued 36 dogs from an unlicensed breeding operation in southwest Missouri.
The Humane Society of Missouri said the 32 adult dogs and four puppies rescued Thursday were Yorkshire Terrier and Maltese. They were taken from a facility near Ozark in Christian County.
The Humane Society and the Missouri Department of Agriculture say in news releases that the dogs were living in the owner;'s basement in crates stacked on top of each other. The society says the animals' living area was covered with urine and feces.
The owner agreed to surrender the animals to the agriculture department, which transferred permanent custody to the Humane Society. The dogs will be treated at the organization's headquarters in St. Louis.