An Arizona animal-rescue group is helping treat dozens of beagles from a large Missouri puppy mill.

Colorado-based Mill Dog Rescue Network made a deal with the puppy mill owner to take 100 dogs. If they hadn't been rescued, officials say they would have been shot or drowned.

The puppy mill had been warned about its dogs and by law, needed to get rid of them.

Twenty-eight of the beagles are now in the care of Arizona Beagle Rescue.

Beagle Rescue officials say the dogs have medical problems caused by neglect and abuse. The dogs, which before were sleeping on wire, now have pillows and blankets.

Puppy mills breed dogs in mostly inhumane conditions and sell them to pet stores.

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