From Crisis to Care: Dakin's Transport Partnerships

Transport puppy welcomed to Dakin

Animal shelters nationwide are facing an urgent crisis: more animals are entering than leaving, and many lack the space or resources to keep up. In heartbreaking cases, this leads to the euthanasia of healthy pets simply because there’s no room. Shelters in the southern U.S., especially those overwhelmed with dogs, often depend on northern partners—like Dakin—to help give these animals a second chance.

“Dakin has three transport partners,” said Behavior Coordinator Lauren Rubin. “One in South Carolina, one in Alabama, and another who works with several shelters, mostly in Louisiana. We also help dogs from Mississippi and Minnesota.” While Dakin frequently receives requests for new partnerships, limited space and a need to prioritize local animals make expansion difficult. “The transport system only works if we’re also serving our own community,” Lauren explained.

In 2024, thanks to generous support and growing community interest in adoption, Dakin welcomed 137 dogs and puppies through transport—up from 20 in 2023, 51 in 2022, and just 9 in 2021. This lifesaving jump was made possible by an anonymous donor who helped renovate our courtyard for outdoor play, upgrades to our kennels, and the open hearts of adopters in our region.

Before a recent transport of five dogs from South Carolina, we received an emotional note from a shelter partner: “So many people here take in strays and try to help, but access to vet care and spay/neuter services is limited. We see dogs tied to our fence, left at gas stations, or abandoned roadside with bags of food.”

Coordinating these transports takes careful planning—and often a leap of faith. Shelters send lists of dogs, and we assess our space against expected surrenders. Massachusetts requires all out-of-state incoming dogs to be quarantined for 48 hours, during which our team, outfitted in protective gear, provides love, enrichment, and care—asking only for a tail wag or cuddle in return. After that, each dog is seen by our veterinary team, and once cleared, becomes available for adoption.

The leap of faith? Most surrenders aren’t scheduled, so our staff must quickly adapt—finding room, providing comfort, and ensuring every dog gets what they need. Their dedication, along with the help of compassionate volunteers, makes it all possible.

Despite the chaos that often accompanies the arrival of noisy, excited dogs on their new path, Lauren finds way more rewards than challenges in planning and overseeing transports. “It’s nice to look at these dogs and know that they have a chance now, because we were able to work with our shelter partners to give it to them.”

To everyone who adopted a transport dog—or any Dakin pet—thank you. You gave an animal a better life, and made room for the next one in need.