This beagle mix named Preston is carried inside the Intake room at the Tails Pet Center in Dekalb. Workers there say the blind dog is slowly recovering after about two weeks of treatment. "The biggest problem we faced initially was to get them to trust people and we had to move very slowly with them," Tails Medical Director Karen Stuedemann said.
Preston is among four adult dogs at the center right now, rescued from this Capron home. And suffering from a host of medical, social and diet problems. "They didn't seem to know what dog food was," Stuedemann said. They've since started a new diet, undergone various antibiotic treatments to attack intestinal parasites as well as mites, which led to shedding hair. Some are also missing teeth and have significant tarter build-up. An upcoming dental exam should help with that. "Have the teeth cleaned, any teeth that are beyond hope will be extracted and within a week they're mouths will feel so much better and they'll be much healthier," Stuedemann said. The dogs are also getting baths, some time outside and and building better trust with their current caretakers. All good steps toward turning their "paws" around for the better. "The worst is over for them. They are on their way to happier times and we're doing everything we can so they can have a happy adoption," Tails Executive Director Beth Drake said. She says adoptions could begin shortly after the dental exams, scheduled for next week. Her center also received 13 other dogs. They've been treated and are currently in foster homes in the Dekalb area. These dogs are among the lucky ones. 23 News learned Friday that half over the dogs taken from the Capron home so far will be euthanized.