Statement by AWCA president Jean Levitt

On Thursday, Deputy Kevin Gates of the Toole County, MT, Sheriff's department called me with more information on the condition of the dogs. New lab test results confirm additional parasites  in addition to giardia. One volunteer caring for the dogs has contracted giardia from them. The vets have begun a regime of treatment to eradicate these conditions and the considerable flea infestation before our grooming team arrives. Ideally, they would like to continue building up the strength of the dogs nutritionally before adding the stress of grooming. Unfortunately recontamination is occurring. Fecal material and urine permeated their coats to such a degree it is not possible to wait much longer to groom them. Primary to the success is a completed evidence collection. We have agreed on a tentative date to begin grooming.  Therefore, I have changed the status of our grooming team from "standby" to "alert."

 Deputy Gates requested another 100-150 stainless steel food pans right away. The pans must be sanitized with bleach, rinsed and dried before each feeding. This is all hand done by volunteers, therefore they need 2 sets of food pans to accommodate the 2 meals a day.  PETEDGE supplied the pans for $1.95 each and absorbed most of the shipping cost as a further donation to this rescue effort.

Also, according to Deputy Gates, no more dogs have died. The count remains 1 deceased dog on the truck and 2 deceased newborn puppies born at the fairgrounds.  He thanks everyone for limiting unnecessary phone calls and emails to the Toole County Sheriff's department.

HEADS UP:

Deputy Gates requests that all persons who:

1) have firsthand experience and have been on the Lethcoe-Harmon property in Alaska

2) have purchased a dog from them that was ill or in poor condition

3) have witnessed neglect by them

4) can write an accurate statement

5) are willing to testify in court, if required

to please contact him in writing by mail or email.

The touching gift to the collie community from the people of western Washington State in the forms of Animal Control Officers Dianna Blakely and Carol Barnes safely arrived in Shelby on Thursday. I spoke with both officers after they toured the fairgrounds housing the animals. There initial response was "Shelby is doing the best they can with what they have to work with."  The very experienced officers were instrumental to the successful conclusion of the 75 Washington collie rescue. I asked them to describe the conditions of the dogs and cats. They said "These collies are in much worse shape than the 75 Washington collies."

 Thank you for all the generosity and support of this collie rescue effort. These collies need help VERY badly and they are going to get it.

Calmly,

Jean Levitt, President AWCA

Lisa King, Director AWCA and the AWCA board and members