The Branson Humane Society were called to help rescue a pack of chihuahuas which had been dumped in the Cape Fair area on Friday, September 16.

The full story by Jason Wert of the Branson Tri-Lakes News is below:

Over a dozen chihuahuas were left in a clearing in the wooded location without food or water. The couple who discovered the dogs and called local animal rescue organizations said they didn’t have a total count on the number of dogs on the property, because they “stopped counting when they got to 20.” 

Representatives from animal rescue groups like For the Love of K9’s and Branson Humane Society came to the area to try and gather all the dogs, and were able to rescue most of the dogs. A few avoided capture and fled into the woods.

Humane Society staff brought a dozen dogs back to their Branson facility and gave them names of 80s and 90s rock bands like Radiohead, Foo Fighter, Journey, Korn, and Kiss. They posted a photo on their Facebook page with the names of the dogs and descriptions of their size, gender, and weight.

Staff estimated the dogs were all about three years old.

Alicia Mason with the Humane Society told Branson Tri-Lakes News over the next few days six more chihuahuas came into the shelter. 

While screening the animals for disease, one of the dogs tested positive for parvo. Parvo is a highly virulent virus which causes death in over 90% of untreated cases, and is highly contagious. The shelter had to close their doors to the public for adoptions for 10 days while the facility is cleaned with bleach (the only household cleaner which can kill the parvo virus) and the other dogs are quarantined and tested for the virus.

“They are all covered in seed ticks,” Mason said. “So we had to get flea and tick medicine for them. So 18 dosages at $25 a dose. So just tick medicine was $450. We bought one we don’t usually use because they were covered so bad. 

“Each dog will cost about $100 to $150 to vaccinate, Heartworm test, get them spayed or neutered, microchipped and dewormed. Any extra issues like parvo virus or a positive heartworm test will be extra cost.”

Mason said this situation is a great example why people should spay or neuter their pets.

The shelter is in need of financial support from the community to cover the veterinary costs related to treatment of the one dog along with the needs of the other dogs. Mason added the shelter was already full of dogs when the chihuahuas arrived at the shelter.

If no other animals test positive for parvo, the shelter will reopen Sept. 30.

Donations can be made to the Branson Humane Society through the Donate link on their website, bransonhumanesociety.com. The shelter and a fundraising thrift store are located at 2837 Shepherd of the Hills Expressway. in Branson.