DENVER (KDVR) — Over 700 dogs were taken from a breeder in Iowa and sent to shelters and rescues across the United States, including right here in Denver.

“We had a breeder that had 718 dogs and they were shut down by the government,” Allie Bradshaw said.

Bradshaw is the founder of A Friend of Jack Rescue in Denver, which took in dogs from Iowa — 21 Thursday night and another 55 on Friday morning, she said.

The dogs were bused from Iowa. The mission to care for them begins with finding foster homes.

“Right now, we have set up 75 foster homes,” Bradshaw said. “It took us about a week and a half to interview and get all of our foster homes approved.”

Dog rescue gets community’s help

You don’t just find a foster parent off the street, but the dogs needed temporary caregivers.

“The power of social media definitely came into play as we posted and asked: Does anybody, first, have a warehouse space that we can do this intake,” Bailey Rowan, a volunteer with the rescue, said.

A local brewery offered facilities where the rescue could start diagnosing the dogs’ needs.

“Dental will be a big thing. A lot of these dogs have never had medical care,” Sarah Smith, an adoption counselor with the rescue, said.

The rescue group also relies on donations to help them continue their work.

Other dogs were taken to shelters across the U.S. to a much better situation than from where they came.

“These dogs have spent their entire lives on wire crates,” Bradshaw said. “These dogs have lived their entire lives in a shed, surrounded by other dogs.”

The rescue anticipates the dogs could be ready for adoption in two to four weeks time.