SMART volunteers have been very busy these last few months. Although things have been somewhat slow in Massachusetts (thank goodness) that has not been the case in other parts of the country.

In January, a team of SMART volunteers responded to a request from the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) to assist with another puppy mill rescue … this time in Kentucky. For one week, they assisted the ASPCA in caring for more than 120 dogs that were seized as part of an effort to shut down a puppy mill. The teams’ responsibilities included the basic care and feeding of the animals, as well as socializing the dogs and getting them out into the fresh air and sunshine.

It took almost six months for the legal case to proceed to the point where the owner relinquished the dogs to the ASPCA (then totaling more than 130 animals due to the number of puppies born during that time period). The good news was announced on March 2, while a second IFAW/SMART team was onsite.

The dogs have now been moved to various adoptive shelters and are well on their way to finding their forever homes.

Special thanks to Sue Thibideau, Jim Helems, Chris D’Arpino, Pam Schaub, Lisa Soldato and Cheryl Noroian for their work in supporting IFAW and in making the transition a little bit easier for all of the dogs involved.