164 dogs rescued from truck in Sandy Valley

A total of 164 Pomeranians recovered from the back of a box truck in Sandy Valley will soon be available for adoption, an animal shelterer announced.

The dogs had previously been placed on a legal hold while in the care of The Animal Foundation, but the organization announced Dec. 4 that the hold had been lifted.

“Due to the large number of dogs and the time required to prepare them for adoption, this requires careful planning to ensure a smooth process for finding them loving homes,” the foundation announced in a statement.

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People interested in adopting the dogs should monitor social media and the organization’s website for updates on when they could be adopted, spokeswoman Kelly Leahy said.

The dogs were taken to the foundation after they were found in late November in an abandoned truck without food, water or ventilation in Sandy Valley, a community located 45 miles southwest of Las Vegas.

The dogs aren’t yet available for viewing, Leahy said late last week.

On Nov. 29, Las Vegas police and Clark County officials recovered the Pomeranian dogs that had been crammed into the back of a box truck.

Many of the crates carrying the animals had three to five dogs in them, officials said.

The driver, who has not been identified, was a woman from San Bernardino, California, whom officials described as a possible “backyard breeder.” The woman reportedly loaded the dogs into the truck and left California after receiving a tip her property would be searched.

After being rescued, the Pomeranians were taken to the Animal Foundation in Las Vegas, where they were being medically evaluated and groomed. Sometime in the next several weeks, they will be cleared for adoption, Leahy said.

Sabrina Hutchinson, a licensed veterinary technician and clinic manager at the facility, said the dogs generally appeared to be in good health despite being dirty.

Leahy estimated the dogs’ ages ranged from three months to up to 12 years.

The sudden addition of so many dogs was taxing the shelter’s resources, Leahy has said. Some workers had to come into work at 1 a.m., Nov. 30 to prepare to bring the animals in. On average, the foundation takes in 80 new animals a day.

As of late November, no charges had been filed. The Metropolitan Police Department’s animal cruelty unit continues to investigate, along with Clark County animal control and San Bernardino authorities.