I am so proud of the work done at Lollypop Farm every day. Tuesday, April 16th, marked a particularly momentous time for our shelter.
As part of an ongoing investigation, Lollypop Farm Humane Law Enforcement officers executed a warrant at a residence on Leopard St. in the city of Rochester. Working alongside Lollypop Farm’s own Animal Emergency Response Team (AERT), Humane Law Enforcement Investigators seized 120 dogs from the property. The dogs were brought to Lollypop Farm and greeted with the loving care and medical support they needed.
Since then, our Humane Law Enforcement Investigators have been working with the owners and their lawyers to attempt to get custody of the animals in our care. We are happy to share that as of Friday, May 10th, this was accomplished for all but two of the dogs involved in this case. With full custody, our shelter and staff can begin readying these dogs to find new homes and a second chance.
This does not mean the hard work is over. This is the first time in our shelter’s history that we had such a large group of dogs who have never known or felt the benefits of human affection. However, I am again moved by how our staff, volunteers, and community rise to the challenge. Our shelter staff are working with stressed and fearful dogs. Our veterinary clinic is working to examine, care for, and spay/neuter dogs who have never been touched, let alone received a vaccination. Our Humane Law Enforcement department continues to diligently work the case to find the right balance between justice and compassion for a person we hope receives help. It is a long road ahead, and those interested in giving one of these dogs a home are encouraged to keep an eye on our website, which will be updated as these friends become available.
The two dogs in question will stay in Lollypop Farm’s care as we await court proceedings to determine if the judge will award our shelter custody or order us to return them to their owner. We understand that this can be a long and challenging time full of uncertainty, but we want to assure you that we are fully committed to providing them the love and care they deserve. We will keep you updated on any developments in the case.
We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to our community for supporting our shelter during this case. We could not do what we do without the support of our donors, foster families, volunteers, corporate partners, and people like you who have given pets like these a second chance.
With Lollypop Love,
Alice Calabrese, CAWA
President & CEO
Lollypop Farm
