NEWS: 199 Animals Taken from Lynnfield Hoarding House
ARL helping rescued animals recover from neglect and find new homes
At the end of February, the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) partnered with MSPCA-Angell to remove 199 animals from a home in Lynnfield, Massachusetts.
In one of the largest hoarding situations the ARL has responded to in recent years, a wide range of species including dogs, cats, birds, and reptiles lived in unsanitary conditions, stacked in cages and crates in different areas of the home. All of the animals were voluntarily surrendered to the ARL and MSPCA-Angell.
After the ARL’s Rescue Services team removed animals from the home, the team brought 60 to our Boston shelter for emergency medical care. According to Dr. Martha Smith-Blackmore, vice president of animal welfare at the ARL, many of the animals had serious health issues resulting from neglect.
“When people suffer from the complex psychological conditions that lead to animal hoarding, they become overwhelmed with caring for all the animals they accumulate,” explains Dr. Smith-Blackmore.
“In hoarding situations, both the owner and the animals need help. If you see something that suggests an animal hoarding situation, say something to your local authorities.”
Working together, our veterinary and shelter staff mobilized a temporary isolation area for the cats requiring long-term medical treatment and found places for them at the Pat Brody Shelter for Cats in Lunenburg, where they will continue to receive rehabilitative care. The ARL also asked Jabberwock Reptiles in Winchester, for assistance taking in the reptiles recovered from the home, including sickly blue-tongued skinks and snakes.
The 6 dogs and 13 birds remaining at the ARL’s shelters continue to make progress in their recovery. Broadway Dog Spa in South Boston generously donated grooming services and the Boston shelter has already begun to identify potential adopters for the shy, but very sweet dogs.
All three of our shelters have taken in the birds. Staff members are getting to know their unique personalities, while providing proper nutrition and care.
If you would like to help these animals and others like them recover from neglect, click the green button below to make a donation.

Danielle Genter, senior rescue technician at the ARL, comforts one of the dogs removed from a hoarding situation in Lynnfield, MA, at the end of February.

The coats of the dogs were so overgrown that most of them could barely see.

It appears that this dog, removed from the Lynnfield home, was living in very unsanitary conditions. His coat was filthy.
A sad story, but with a happy ending. THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO FOR ANIMALS!!
thank you for helping these babies…this little guys is adorable. Has he been adopted out??
Stories as this break my heart. Thank God for ARL and the MSPCA.
It is a said story and thank you for all you do with animals. I would love to look into adopting the black dog Shadow.
My husband and I saw the news report of the hoarding home. We own our own home and it is a quiet environment. We do have 2 small dogs under 10 pounds that we rescued from poor living conditions. On a news broadcast we heard that you might have Hedgehogs. We would be very interested in a rescue of one or two. Please contact me with any available information. Thank you
Karen and Bruce Shepard
id like to adopt one of those dogs
Who should I contact if interested in adopting one of the dogs?
How can I adopt one of these dogs? I feel so sorry for that little guy in the pictures. Just terrible. I have two girl labs that would love some new company!