On June 30, the ASPCA assisted in the rescue of 300 severely neglected animals from the Lawrence County Animal Shelter in Moulton, Alabama. The animals—including dogs and cats of all breeds and ages—were found living in filthy, deplorable conditions; many were starving and fighting to survive.

The ASPCA removed the animals from the tragic scene and transported them to a temporary shelter, where they have spent the last few weeks receiving medical care, behavioral enrichment and the kindness they so desperately needed. Now, with some heartwarmingly happy reunions under our belt, we are ready to begin searching for loving forever homes for hundreds of the animals rescued in this case. Animals like Lucy, Emma, Ashley, Fiji and Della.

 Lucy is a very friendly pit bull mix who was found with her litter of five puppies, all of whom were gravely ill due to the shelter’s neglectful conditions. Sadly, the puppies did not survive—veterinary experts confirmed their cause of death as parvovirus, a highly contagious disease which could have been prevented by vaccinations. Lucy survived, and this sweet mama is now looking for a loving family to call her own.

Emma is a sassy senior who was discovered with skin infections and an ingrown collar. She was in so much pain that she would yelp as veterinary experts treated her wounds. Emma has recovered from her medical issues, and she is now a cheerful dog who loves people and is sure to make some lucky adopter very happy.

Ashley is a sweet 12-week-old Pointer mix who nearly died of distemper, a virus that affects a dog’s respiratory, gastrointestinal and central nervous systems. After receiving much-needed treatment and vaccines at the ASPCA’s medical unit, Ashley’s overall health improved and she recently joined the other dogs at our temporary shelter. She is shy at first, but is looking for an individual or family to give her a good home.

Fiji is a grey, domestic short hair cat who veterinary experts thought was blind due to her severe eye infection. With medical treatment and care, Fiji’s vision improved greatly, and the curious kitten has come out of her shell. With a bright future ahead, Fiji is eager to find a family who will love her forever.

Della is a senior dog who is blind, but that doesn’t hold her back! She is a very sweet pup who is fond of being petted and handled. The ASPCA is planning to take Della to a specialist to see if she is able to regain some of her vision, but what she wants most is a home to call her own.

These loving, resilient animals have survived a nightmare and all they want now is to love and to be loved. To meet them, and hundreds of other wonderful, adoptable animals from our Alabama rescue,  come to our adoption event in Hillsboro, Alabama, this weekend.

Visit aspca.org/AdoptAL for more event details, and be sure to spread the word! Together we can give all of these dogs and cats a second chance at a better life.