Chicago Rescue Refuses To Turn Over Puppies Found At O'Hare

CHICAGO, IL — A Chicago-based animal rescue group has said that it will not return more than a dozen French bulldog puppies that were confiscated from a warehouse inside O'Hare Airport on Aug. 31, after they arrived from Jordan.

"Out of ongoing concern by Chicago French Bulldog Rescue for the health and welfare of the 15 puppies rescued from a warehouse at O’Hare International Airport, I have informed all relevant agencies of the government and Royal Jordanian Airlines earlier today that the rescue will not be turning over the 15 French bulldog puppies to anyone tomorrow, Monday at 9:00 am," Tamara de Silva wrote on the Chicago French Bulldog Rescue's Facebook page Sunday.

About 20 dogs had arrived on Royal Jordanian Airlines on Aug. 28 and an airport worker alerted a Chicago police officer about the dire conditions the puppies were living in at the warehouse. Upon investigation, the police discovered that these dogs were without food and water, dehydrated and in abhorrent sanitary conditions.

"The crates were caked with fecal matter and urine inches thick, the rescue said. "The dogs suffered skin lesions from sitting in their own excrement One puppy was found deceased after being in the warehouse for days."

The employee, under the direction of the Chicago Police Department, then contacted Chicago French Bulldog Rescue and asked if they would take custody of the dogs. The rescue arranged to have several veterinary clinics prepped and on stand-by to provide treatment and quarantine for all 15 dogs that same evening, incurring medical bills of up to $40,000.

Chicago French Bulldog Rescue has started a petition to prevent the deportation of these dogs that are still too sick to leave veterinary care. The CDC said the dogs did not have proper documents and according to the rescue, the airlines has admitted to failing them before they were shipped by not confirming that their documents were in order, including proper health certificates and vet records.

Now the Royal Jordanian Airlines has demanded that Chicago French Bulldog Rescue return the dogs to their custody so that they can fly them back to Jordan. The CDC and USDA are also pressuring them to send the dogs back.

"The CDC is demanding that the dogs be returned to the custody and control of the entity responsible for the unspeakable cruelty suffered by these dogs," the rescue wrote in its petition. "This despite the fact that the dogs have been in quarantine for over 20 days and vaccinated and present no threat of infectious disease. The CDC is also not requiring Royal Jordanian Airlines to pay the dogs' full medical bills."

Chicago French Bulldog Rescue has asked that the puppies be released to their custody and care permanently, where they will continue their rehabilitation and find them loving homes. If the dogs are released to their rescue, the rescue has agreed to absorb all incurred and future medical costs.