METHUEN, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA) took in seven of 200 terriers found living in poor conditions on a farm in rural New Jersey.
The farm was home to a kennel run by a couple who, at one point, bred Westminster champion dogs. Now, an animal cruelty investigation is underway.
Four of the dogs were taken to MSPCA’s Nevins Farms in Methuen, with the other three taken to the organization’s Cape Cod location. The remaining terriers are being cared for by a shelter in New Jersey.
Rescuers described the conditions in New Jersey the dogs lived in as squalid and deplorable.
“It was an old breeder that had actually achieved great status in the past and they’ve just lost control over the situation and the dogs were breeding on their own,” Nevins Farm community outreach coordinator Julia Pesek said.
According to Pesek, the dogs are all female and range in age from 3 to 7 years old.
“We’re treating some of their ear infections, giving them a little bit of time to settle in and feel relaxed so that we can do a proper behavioral assessment where we know we’re seeing a relaxed dog. I would expect later in the week we’ll be able to make an announcement that we’ll start taking applications for them,” Pesek said.
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WBZ NewsRadio's Kim Tunnicliffe (@KimWBZ) reports