Dakin & MSPCA Partner in Dog Hoarding Case

Last month, Dakin got a call from an MSPCA law enforcement officer about a dog hoarding case in South Hadley. The officer had found 25 bichon mixed breed dogs, including several litters of puppies, at a residence. The occupant had been breeding the dogs for puppy sales, but when sale slowed, their population spiraled out of control.

Despite being at full capacity for dogs, and beyond capacity for cats (the previous week alone we had taken in 164 animals), Dakin stepped up to offer assistance. Executive Director Meg Talbert and Animal Resource Counselor Eliza Fischer drove the Dakin van to the home right away. With help from the MSPCA, they were able to remove 17 dogs from the home, including two moms, each with litters of puppies (4 weeks old and 6 weeks old), a pregnant female, adult dogs and young adult dogs.

What happened next is an example of Dakin at its best. In cases like this, a couple of staff members set off to the hoarding location, usually not knowing how many animals they will be returning with. In the meantime, back at Dakin, a team of staff and volunteers jump into action preparing for any number of arrivals. When shelter space is tight, plans are made to take the best possible advantage of whatever housing is available.

When Eliza and Meg returned, our team hit the ground running in their efforts to assess and care for the pups. While they were not kept in the best condition, the dogs appeared mostly healthy and had been socialized. They were friendly towards people, which is always good news when the goal is to find adopters. The dogs were small breed types that typically find homes quickly, so we had many reasons to be optimistic. Dakin quickly worked out a plan with the MSPCA about which organizations would take which dogs for foster care and adoption.

A month later, we’re happy to report that each of the dogs found new homes with the exception of a female who is still currently in a gestational foster home with her newborn litter. They are also expected to become available for adoption at Dakin soon.

Having staff and volunteers who are so committed to helping animals in need is what makes Dakin such a vital part of our community.