18 doodles abandoned on the street find home at Washington shelter

A gaggle of abandoned doodle-breed dogs has found a temporary home with a Washington animal shelter. 

Calls to Whatcom Humane Society about abandoned doodles spotted around Ferndale, about 10 miles northwest of Bellingham, Washington, have became a regular occurrence over the last couple of weeks.  

The origin of the dogs, which are the offspring of poodles and another dog breed, may be unclear, but Whatcom Humane Society Executive Director Laura Clark told News Center Maine someone simply didn't find them "useful" anymore.

“It appears they are part of a large-scale breeding operation. The bottom fell out. For whatever reason, instead of finding appropriate placement for the animals, they've been abandoned. People don't think mills operate in their communities, but they are everywhere,” Clark shared with the outlet. 

It is very likely that there are more doodles waiting to be rescued in the community.

"Every couple of days it's more doodles. We're just waiting for that to end,” employee Robert Paris told News Center Maine.

The age of the doodles rescued ranges from 5 months to 4 years, according to reporting done by News Center Maine. 

Eighteen doodles have been in the care of the shelter since Aug. 18, according to Whatcom Humane Society’s Facebook page. Most if not all of the dogs lacked basic socialization skills, were dirty and in need of care, Whatcom Humane Society reported. 

The dogs have been so neglected they're afraid to come out of their kennels at the shelter, News Center Maine reported. 

"They've apparently become an inconvenience to someone … Honestly, how can someone do this to a dog?” Paris said.

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What kind of dog is a doodle? 

A doodle is produced when a toy poodle, miniature poodle, or standard poodle are bred with another dog breed, according to petMD.com. 

Doodles are considered to be designer dog breeds by some, while others prefer to think of them as a mixed-breed.  Designer in this case means, the act of a breeder mixing two pure bred dogs to only get the best traits from each breed. 

Most owners are looking for a family dog that’s intelligent and good-natured with a low-shedding coat in their search for a doodle, petMD wrote.

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What is next for the rescued doodles?

With help from the animal control team and various good Samaritans along the way, Whatcom Humane Society has put up 15 doodles while the other three have been staying with their rescuers, the shelter announced Wednesday. 

“KUDOS to the WHS animal control & rescue team and the WHS animal care staff who are working LONG HOURS to care for these animals and the many, many, many, many others that have inundated our shelter facility … It takes a village!!” the shelter wrote on Facebook.

None of the doodles will be available for adoption until they receive the space and medical care they need.

For those interested in adopting the doodles, Whatcom Humane Society warns that adopters will need experience to accommodate their specialized needs.

A few of the dogs have been occasionally wagging their tail, chewing on a toy, or accepting a gentle pat on the head since receiving care, News Center Maine reported. 

“We do not have a time frame as to when these dogs may become available for adoption. We are working to transfer some of the dogs out to rescue partners and other shelters in the region that have space to care for them,” the post stated.