After taking in the largest number of dogs it has received in a single rescue effort in its 54-year history last month in Plainfield, the Dakin Humane Society has made good progress in finding homes for them.

“We have so many applications for them that we have switched off the online application form,’’ Lee Chambers, spokeswoman for the Springfield shelter, said Wednesday.

“We’re so grateful to the community for stepping up as they did.”

The dogs all came from a Plainfield home whose owner who had begun breeding and selling Chihuahuas three years ago but had become overwhelmed as their numbers grew to more than 70.

After being asked to conduct a well-being check at the home, Police Chief Justin Litchfield helped organize a coordinated response to remove the animals from the overcrowded dwelling.

Also living on the property were some 30 pigs, two cows, chickens, guinea hens and ducks.

Representatives from Dakin, the Franklin County Regional Dog Shelter and Berkshire Humane Society joined state and local officials in the removal operation March 27.

The 76 dogs, ranging in age from a few weeks to about 3 years old, were placed in carriers and brought to their respective organizations, with about 40 of them going to Dakin.

Messages left this week for the Franklin County Regional Dog Shelter and Berkshire Humane Society were not returned. Messages left for Litchfield also were not returned.

According to Dakin Executive Director Meg Talbert, the shelter began assisting the Plainfield dog owner in early March, building trust with her to help her accept the need to give up her dogs.

“The first step was to determine how many animals were on the property, and develop a plan with our partners for their removal and future care,” Talbert said in a statement.

Staff, volunteers and foster caregivers worked hard to arrange transport details and provide accommodations for the many dogs. Fosters brought several of the shelter animals into their homes to free up space, while volunteers stepped up to help with care and cleaning.

Once the dogs, mostly Chihuahuas or Chihuahua mixes, arrived at Dakin, the medical and behavioral teams began assessing each one to prepare them for adoption.

“The dogs and puppies are in very good shape and had obviously been cared for,” Talbert said.

Chambers noted that the dogs had formed a bond with their owner, and while some were adapting well to their changed circumstances, others were struggling with the newness.

“Sometimes we’ll pair up a shy dog with a buddy,” she said, and require that they be adopted together.

The dogs were always kept inside the house, and have not been trained to relieve themselves outdoors.

“They don’t understand the concept of being walked on a leash,” noted Talbert, “so adopters will need to be prepared to house-train these dogs as well as introduce them to the joys of outdoor walking.”

While the adoption process has gone remarkably well, the unusual influx of dogs has entailed considerable cost, Chambers said, and there is a Facebook campaign to help with those expenses.

Dakin is a nonprofit that relies solely on contributions from individuals and businesses. For more information, visit www.dakinhumane.org.

]]>