GREAT FALLS — Two and a half weeks ago the Maclean-Cameron Animal Adoption Center was overwhelmed with dozens of animals rescued after Cascade County deputies uncovered a large-scale animal cruelty case in Sun Prairie.
Authorities found the animals living in conditions described by a veterinarian as uninhabitable and inhumane, but the team at Maclean continues to offer these animals health and hope.
Erik Johnson reports - watch the video:
On the evening of August 28, the shelter received a call — 37 dogs and eight cats were on their way. The staff immediately sprang into action, preparing kennels, food, water bowls and collar.s They worked quickly to house all of these animals and make sure they were vaccinated, groomed and their nails trimmed.
Katie Ober, the executive assistant at Maclean, says "You could tell that a lot of them most likely hadn't been leash trained. A lot of them didn't know how to sit or things like that." She could tell a lot of these animals were not used to going on walks and they needed some basic training along with potty training.
There was an outpouring of support from the Great Falls community — from donations to provide food, to groomers dedicating their time to bathe and trim the animals. Moving forward, the shelter asks for continued support through volunteer efforts, anything from walking dogs to washing dishes and doing laundry.
The biggest way to make a difference is through fostering.
Ober says, "Right now we found foster homes for about ten of our dogs. We're still looking for foster homes for thirteen." There's also eight cats waiting for foster families.
Due to the specific situation, there are some tighter requirements for fostering. Ober explains, "Fosters must have a securely fenced backyard, they must own their residence, there can be no child under the age of ten, they can only have on dog already in the home and or two cats, all their pets need to already be altered and vaccinated with all their core vaccines."
For information about fostering an animal or how you can help, contact the MCAAC by clicking here; donations can also be made directly to the MCAAC by clicking here.
