Dogs | featured | Happy Tails | People of MHS | Uncategorized
Labradors in Need of Love
By Ben Field
“Deplorable” was the word used to describe the conditions that the 27 Labrador Retrievers were living in prior to arriving at the Monadnock Humane Society. On October 5th, the dogs were seized by police and Beth Doyle, the Humane Society’s humane agent, and moved to the animal resource center. The 13 adult dogs were skinny and weak with hunger, and the poor puppies had become used to living in an unfavorable and crowded environment. Among them was a lab named Kiki, mother to a handful of the puppies and just as much a victim of animal hoarding as the rest. Kiki and the others were in need of love and care from any where they could find it. Luckily, the people of the Monadnock region willingly stepped up to give their compassion.
It began in December 2021, with a call to the Winchester police about a skinny dog being spotted at the property where the labs were being held. Beth Doyle, MHS’s humane agent, began the investigation with help from the police. Doyle viewed the other dogs at the property and saw Kiki for the first time. At this point in the investigation there was no cause for concern save for a few signs of fleas, a common side effect of keeping or breeding many dogs. The humane agent notified the owner that the dogs had fleas, and reminded them of the importance of diligent care, then left satisfied that all would be well at the property. The lab Kiki, while not in immediate danger, would soon need help. Later in the year, on September 28th, Doyle returned to the house after another call, this time about a puppy with an untreated facial injury. This time, things were different, and the reality of the dogs’ living conditions came to light. The puppy in question had a deformity in the lower jaw as well as a thick substance in her mouth signifying a likely infection. Kiki, the puppy’s mother, was now very skinny and described as “emaciated” in the affidavit. Thorough investigations showed rooms filled with dogs and puppies, and floors covered with newspaper, feces, and urine. The environment was unfit for living beings, and on October 5th, Doyle and police took all of the dogs, including Kiki, into the care of the Monadnock Humane Society.
Finally the dogs along with Kiki and her puppies had a place where they could be cared for and no longer had to exist in an unsanitary environment. The staff at the Monadnock Humane Society checked and treated the dogs for illness, and fed them so they were no longer suffering from hunger. The puppies played together, and the adult dogs were happily going on walks and getting exercise. Kiki was happily eating a healthy amount and soon gained enough weight so she was no longer “emaciated.” The joyous yips and barks of happy puppies and dogs could be heard throughout the building, bringing smiles to the faces of visitors and staff alike. They couldn’t be happier with the state of the now healthy Labrador residents.
The owner of the dogs attended a hearing where they surrendered the dogs to the Humane Society. Now the Labs could continue to receive the proper care they so desperately needed without worry of returning to their previous situation. They were moved into foster homes with loving families where they could be cared for in a normal, loving, clean, home environment. They no longer had to worry about living space, they no longer had to worry about food, and they no longer had to worry about neglect. The owner of the dogs will be held accountable for their actions and they will never be able to cause harm to these resilient and happy dogs again.
The Monadnock Humane Society is thrilled to see the rescued dogs in wonderful caring homes and is very glad that no lasting damage was done. With all the support the people have given these adorable puppies, they will never have to live in “deplorable” conditions again.
For more information about the vital work Monadnock Humane Society does, please visit our website at monadnockhumanesociety.org. MHS is 100% funded by the generosity of people within the communities we support. Contrary to what many mistakenly believe, MHS receives NO FUNDING for our shelter operations when you make a donation to national animal welfare organizations such as ASPCA, The Humane Society of the United States. Nor do we receive funding from any national, state or local government agency. Please consider making a donation this holiday season and support the lifesaving work we do.
