A “no-kill rescue” turned out to be a home where dogs lived in deplorable conditions.
Last week officials descended on Happy Endings Animal Rescue after numerous complaints by locals were lodged against the founder, David Gosselin.
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What was discovered were dogs living in filthy conditions, including some living in inches of feces, without water or food and in overcrowded conditions, both inside and outside. Twenty-two large-breed dogs — including chow, pit bull and shepherd mixes — were found in just one room. Some had not been spayed or neutered, while others suffered from medical issues — emaciation, dental disease and severe hair loss, to name a few. But for many, the issues were more than skin deep.
“You can hear it every night, beating dogs, this in the middle of the night,” neighbor Jamichael Alexander told WSMV. “You shouldn’t be woken up at your house from dogs crying.”
Alexander added that, “He told them to shut up and they kept barking. He got upset and grabbed one by the neck and ran them together, went to get a paddle and kept beating them.”
Gosselin was arrested and charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty.
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“What we found here is horrific,” Kathryn Destreza, Investigations Director for the ASPCA Field Investigations and Response team, said in a statement. “This facility claimed to be a safe place for animals, but the truth is these dogs were suffering greatly, both physically and emotionally.”
The complaints for Happy Ending Animal Rescue aren’t new, with the oldest dating back to 2009. According to outlets, officers were at Gosselin’s home as recently as July 17 and June 24. (We reached out to the ASPCA and Nashville government, asking why it took so long to rescue. We haven’t received comment before time of publication.)
The dogs are currently in an undisclosed shelter being treated for both emotional and physical trauma. Many of the animals are seniors and will require additional TLC.
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Main image via ASPCA