Cape Coral nonprofit rescues five dogs from breeder

When it comes to rescuing dogs, Karena Loudin with Florida Coastal Cocker Rescue has one mission.

“They don’t have a voice,” Loudin said. “They need someone to speak for them, so we figure that we’re the people to do that.”

Loudin rescued five miniature Schnauzers – Molly, Joey, Ike, Zeus and Maggie from dog breeder Delaine Lowry’s home in Big Pine Key.

“It looked like she was just basically a backyard breeder,” Loudin said. “None of them were spayed or neutered, so she was just breeding them and selling the puppies.”

Lowry was arrested last month for allegedly drowning a miniature Schnauzer.

Monroe County deputies say she entered a neighbor’s gate with a wet dog stating she had just drowned the dog.

The arrest report says deputies heard Lowry say, “She had to kill the dog because it was going to kill her.”

Deputies also say they found a blue five-gallon tote with dirty rainwater in Lowry’s yard.

“It’s just sickening that someone could do that,” said Loudin. “What would they do to a person?”

A shelter in Marathon called Loudin and asked if she’d take in these dogs.

“She [the shelter organizer] was out of town and said, ‘Would you be able to help some Schnauzers?'” Loudin said.

Of course, Loudin did, and she found foster homes for them right away.

“They were a little skittish and a little scared,” she said. “They’re not used to real-world situations.”

Molly and Joey are in foster homes in Sebring while Ike and Zeus are in Punta Gorda.

Maggie’s living in Cape Coral.

“Maggie actually found her voice for the first time the other day,” Loudin said. “They’re starting to come out of their shell. They’re starting to figure out what a real dog world is.”

The dogs will stay with their foster homes until they’re adopted.

You can find more information on how to adopt one of these dogs here.