Pennsylvania SPCA seeks homes for former working dogs rescued from poor shelter

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — The Pennsylvania SPCA is looking for forever homes for 10 working dogs.

“These guys need their retirement home, and we’re looking to the public to help us with that,” said Director of Animal Law Enforcement and Shelter Services Nicole Wilson.

Wilson said the dogs are happy and healthy now, but that wasn’t always the case.

She helped save them, along with a number of other dogs, from a rescue organization in Northumberland County that took in working dogs when they had no place to go.

She said the Bureau of Dog Law Enforcement alerted her team after they conducted a routine inspection.

“We were seeing dogs that were living in their own waste, that had significant medical conditions,” she said. “For dogs that serviced us so well, the least we can do is provide them with the service of clean housing and medical care.”

The dogs had quite a career before they were retired. Some were on the front lines with the military while others worked with law enforcement agencies across the country.

“These dogs came from military work, whether that be contract work or directly for the United States military. They came from police departments, so retired bomb detection, drug dogs or protection dogs,” she said.

Wilson said one of the best parts of her job is seeing the dogs bounce back from health issues.

“He was really a shadow of himself when he first came to us, and now we are so excited to see how he has progressed,” Wilson said about a dog named Rex.

The PSPCA says they want to give the working dogs a loving and safe home that they deserve.

“These dogs performed a service for us to keep the public safe, to keep our soldiers safe, and so our goal is to provide them with the retirement that they earned,” she said.

Staff said they are looking for people who have knowledge and experience dealing with working dogs.