The Carbon County Animal Shelter is caring for a malnourished female dog and three, six-week-old puppies dumped in Lansford.

Director Tom Connors said they received a call about the dogs which were dumped in a woman’s yard on East Bertsch Street on Friday.

Connors believes the dogs were living inside a home in Lansford before being dumped, Connors said. The female dog, who is still tending to her three puppies, was scared and her ribs were protruding, he said.

Several people have come forward with information about the dogs that will be turned over to police for an investigation into abuse, he said.

The female dog, believed to be 3 years old, had a litter of nine puppies which were being sold for $300 each, Connors said. Six of the puppies sold quickly and apparently the rest of the litter took too much time to sell, he said.

Connors said he can’t understand why the owner couldn’t buy a $24 bag of dog food to feed the mother, if those six puppies sold for $1,800.

“It’s about greed,” he said.

The puppies that were sold were also separated from their mother too soon, likely before 6 weeks old, Connors said. It is against state law to remove puppies from their mother before eight weeks, he said.

Puppies separated too soon from their mother can suffer health issues, as well as socialization and aggression issues, Connors said. They need to remain with the mother and continue to learn from her, he said.

This is also the female dog’s third litter, he said. She had two other litters while living in Florida, Connors learned from people who came forward.

The female dog, who wouldn’t eat when first brought into the shelter, and her puppies are now doing well, Connors said, noting that the mother seems to know she’s in a safe place now.

“She’s the sweetest dog,” he said.

Lansford police were not available on Friday, and Connors said he hoped to meet with them Monday. Lansford Chief Kyle Woodward said they expect to meet with Connors on Wednesday.

“We’ve got to stop this nonsense,” Connors said. “We have people coming in with their own dogs saying they found them. The shelters are full.”

Connors has received calls from at least three other shelters looking to place dogs at the Carbon shelter, which has 10 dogs in its care right now, he said.

However, they are keeping the census low due to staffing issues, Connors said. They only have three workers, and are looking to hire another three part-timers, he said.

The Carbon shelter is also blessed with good volunteers, but volunteers aren’t able to take dogs to the veterinarian or drive the county vehicle, he said.

Staff and volunteers continue to work seven days a week to care for the dogs in the no-kill shelter, and make sure they get the exercise, care and attention they need each day, Connors said.

As for the continued cases of abuse, Connors said people throughout the region are outraged.

“Enough is enough already,” he said.