Race is on to rescue more than 200 dogs from rural Mississippi property before major storm hits

Jackson, Miss. — Animal advocates are racing to rescue more than 200 dogs from a rural Mississippi property before a massive winter storm is forecast to hit Friday.

Paws of War, a New York-based nonprofit that rescues animals and places them with veterans and first responders, is helping to lead the charge.

Robert Misseri, the organization's co-founder, said his team arrived at the property, located in Tupelo, Mississippi, on Wednesday.

He described it as a "house of horrors," with the skeletal remains of dogs decomposing in the yard and feces everywhere. The dogs, he said, were living both inside and outside of a home.

"It's rewarding seeing them come off the property for the first time, knowing that they will ultimately wind up on someone's couch. But to think that they suffered up there for all these years in silence," Misseri said before trailing off.

Misseri said the Lee County Sheriff's Office asked Paws of War for help with rehoming the animals. As of Thursday evening, nine shelters had taken about 60 dogs. Paws of War has sent several trucks to the property to bring 45 dogs back to New York.

Thirteen of the dogs are now at the Northshore Humane Society in Covington, Louisiana. The humane society's team traversed more than 300 miles to the Tupelo, Mississippi, area on Wednesday for what they dubbed "Operation: Tupelo Tails."

"A lot of these dogs have scars on their faces, which is evidence that they were probably sparring with the other dogs for food," said Scott Bernier, Northshore Humane Society's CEO. "So it's a bad condition. Not something we ever like to see."

Scout Cannizzaro, a veterinary technician at the Northshore Humane Society, said some of the dogs had upper respiratory infections and skin conditions. Bernier said he also expects some of the dogs to have heartworm.

The humane society is now trying to get as many dogs as possible into foster homes because their building is old and doesn't retain heat well. However, Bernier said any animals left at the shelter when the storm hits will be warm and safe.

The Paws of War was working overnight trying to find shelters for the remaining dogs before the storm hits, Misseri said. His team is also still searching the area for skittish dogs that ran away, and he said the number of dogs needing to be rescued could reach 300.

He said no matter what happens, he will not allow the dogs to be left outside during the storm. He is asking other shelters to come forward and take some of the dogs.

"We weren't prepared for this," he said.

Paws of War said in a statement that it urgently needs "rescue partners willing to take dogs, monetary donations to fund medical care, transport, and supplies, and local volunteers who can step in and help."

The Lee County Sheriff's Office didn't immediately return a message Thursday.