Hopkinton’s Baypath Humane Society helps rescue dozen dogs from Wrentham backyard breeder

HOPKINTON, Mass. — At Baypath Humane Society in Hopkinton on a Friday afternoon, it is playtime for more than a dozen German Shepherd and Husky dogs waiting for adoption.

Until now, playtime was something the dogs never knew.

Last fall, more than a dozen dogs were rescued from a backyard breeder in Wrentham.

Photos and video reveal the living conditions the dogs endured for their entire lives, as they existed for one reason: to create puppies.

“A lot of them really haven’t been out of a confined area of cement. They had cement walls, wood chips for bedding. And that was it,” Baypath Shelter Support associate Kathy Lundgren told me.

Lundgren said the dogs showed signs of neglect: starvation, parasites, and in some cases, disease.

“The saddest part, when they came in, they were just numbers. Case numbers. You could tell in the breeders’ mind, these were breeding machines,” Lundgren said.

The case taxed Baypath’s resources; the vet bill now stands at $130,000.

“It was emotional for us, as well as the dogs,” Baypath’s Rachel Gallagher said.

Meanwhile, workers and volunteers nursed each of the dogs to health.

“My hope for these dogs is to find them love, to find them care and to find them people who actually deserve them,” said Elly Hammond, a Baypath Animal Care Associate.

The dogs rescued from the Wrentham backyard breeder are thriving now.

It has been a long road for Baypath, but each dog is ready to find a home.

“They came in as a number: Husky 1, Shepherd 1. Now they have a name. They have a face, and they have freedom. Now they can find a home,” Lundgren said.

All of the dogs are now up for adoption

If you’d like to know more about the dogs or about ways to support the mission, go to their website at: https://baypathhumane.org/322-days-in-limbo-the-story-we-couldnt-share-until-now/

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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