In September 2023, an ACSO deputy was forced to shoot and kill seven abandoned dogs, including one that had been hiding from him and finally found a home.
APACHE COUNTY, Ariz. — Good news has come from the tragic circumstances that forced an Apache County Sheriff's Office deputy to shoot and kill seven abandoned dogs amid a worsening animal control crisis in the county.
The only surviving dog from the larger pack involved in the incident, Molly Ottoman, was rescued and recently found a forever home. The Mountain Daily Star reported..
RELATED: “Can I adopt a dog?” Apache County deputy shoots and kills seven abandoned dogs with no homes in the county
The incident occurred in September 2023 in Adamana, an unincorporated area of Apache County about 26 miles northeast of Holbrook. county The county does not have animal control services, and residents frequently complain about stray and abandoned dogs. One sheriff's candidate even campaigned on a promise to address the county's abandoned dog problem.
Body camera footage from that day shows deputies herding the seven dogs into a fenced enclosure, while two other dogs — one of them later named Darla and her puppy — hid under a shed and were left behind after the seven were killed.
According to a Facebook post by Northern Arizona Animal Search and Rescue, the group used trail cameras and set traps to humanely capture Darla and Bruno.
The dogs were taken to the Holbrook Humane Society for further treatment. Sadly, Darla's puppy was infected with parvovirus and passed away from the illness.
Darla is Mountain Girl Rescue Foster Homes She quickly found a family in Flagstaff who was willing to adopt her.
“This is what happens when resources are put to use. Darla is now living a wonderful life,” Northern Arizona Animal Search and Rescue said in a post.
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