Update: Jan. 13, 2015 – MSPCA begins accepting applications on rescued Dachshunds

The Boston and Methuen adoption centers will begin accepting applications for adoption for the large group of Dachshunds that were surrendered last Tuesday. Since their surrender the adoption center staffs have been hard at work assessing the medical and behavior needs of each individual dog and are nearing a point where the dogs will be ready to be adopted into new and loving families.

In the next few days the staff will be finishing their treatments and scheduling their spay/neuter surgeries prior to them being made available for adoption. In the meantime we will be starting the application process with interested parties. Since the announcement of this large surrender hundreds of potential adopters have contacted our centers about adopting these dogs. We are excited by the outpouring of support from the public, but also recognize the number of interested parties far outnumbers the number of dogs we will have available for adoption. To be as fair as possible and to help us choose the best possible homes for these dogs, applications for adoption will be accepted in person at each of our adoption centers on Wednesday January 14th andThursday January 15th during open hours (please see our website for open hours as each location’s hours vary). Applicants will be interviewed individually by adoption center staff and determination of adoption eligibility will be made after all applications are collected and reviewed. To make the process more efficient we ask that people review our adoption criteria and bring all necessary documentation with them at the time of applying.

If you are applying at the Boston Adoption Center, click here for the adoption criteria.

If you are applying at the Methuen Adoption Center, click here for the adoption criteria.

Important considerations prior to adoption

It’s important for families to recognize that these dogs have come from an environment that is very different than a regular home environment and were housed in large groups. As a result we want to be sure that families interested in adoption have given careful consideration to the needs of these dogs and the challenges they may encounter as they transition from a large group to individual companions. Each dog will likely need considerable help with housebreaking and will likely require a behavior modification plan to help with this. It is also important for people to understand that because these dogs have been living in a large group and were isolated from normal daily life they may take time to adjust to the normal life of a dog. Families should be sure that they have the patience, time and resources necessary to work through these issues prior to applying.

BOSTON and Methuen, Mass. Jan. 6, 2015 – Seventy one Dachshund-type dogs were voluntarily surrendered to the Westminster, Mass. Animal Control facility last night from a home at 21 Harrington Road in Westminster, and 60 of the animals have been transported to the MSPCA-Angell’s adoption centers in Boston and Methuen, the organization announced today. The remaining dogs will stay at the Westminster facility until new adoptive homes can be found.

The dogs—a mix of males, females and puppies—arrived at the MSPCA adoption centers this afternoon, where they await veterinary and behavioral evaluations.

Most of the dogs are underweight and matted and some are coated in urine and feces. The conditions inside the home have been described as extremely dirty. Moreover, some of the dogs were housed in cages outside, with little protection from the elements.

Law Enforcement Investigation

The MSPCA’s Law Enforcement department has opened an investigation. “At this stage we cannot comment on the status of the investigation but, should there be details we can release in the days and weeks ahead, we will do so,” said law enforcement officer Nadya Branca.

Mike Keiley, director of the Noble Family Animal Care and Adoption Center at the MSPCA-Nevins Farm in Methuen, is overseeing the arrival and the sheltering of 30 of the dogs. “We’ll do everything we can to make the dogs comfortable, and we expect to carry out health and behavior checks in the days ahead,” he said.

Keiley also stressed the need for patience, particularly among those eager to adopt. “The dogs are coming from a traumatic environment and they’ll need time to settle down. They’ll need to be spayed and neutered, and they’ll likely have some health issues that we’ll need to help them overcome.”

The MSPCA will announce availability of the dogs for adoption once these evaluations have been completed.

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The MSPCA-Angell is a national and international leader in animal protection and veterinary medicine and provides direct hands-on care for thousands of animals each year. Founded in 1868, it is the second-oldest humane society in the United States. Services include animal protection and adoption, advocacy, humane education, law enforcement, and world-class veterinary care. The MSPCA-Angell is a private, non-profit organization. It does not receive any government funding nor is it funded or operated by any national humane organization. The MSPCA-Angell relies solely on the support and contributions from individuals who care about animals. Please visit www.mspca.org and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mspcaangell