Purebred 'Puppy Mill' Rescue Dogs Arrive In Salem For Adoption

SALEM, MA — Nearly two dozen purebred "designer dogs" rescued from a Missouri puppy mill arrived in Salem this weekend and will be available for adoption through the Northeast Animal Shelter and MSPCA-Angell.

The 22 specialty breed dogs include Cocker Spaniels, Papillons, and Havanese. While shelters are near or at capacity during a national euthanasia crisis, it is still rare to find purebred dogs available.

These dogs range from 1 to 10 years old and on Monday were serving out their state-mandated 48-hour quarantines.

"Some of the dogs are a little shy, which is understandable given what they've been through," said Vice President of the MSPCA's Animal Protection Division Mike Keiley. "Dogs in these situations often have specific behavior needs, so their future adopters may need to be very patient with them. But we know that they'll make perfect pets for the right homes when they're ready to find them."

The dogs will be added to the MSPCA's available animal page when they're ready for adoption. The organization asks that interested adopters visit the Northeast Animal Shelter during open hours or submit an inquiry here when the dogs are available.

The rescue was made in partnership with National Mill Rescue with their transport from Missouri to Hanscom Air Field in Bedford sponsored by The Bissell Foundation on Saturday.

"National Mill Dog Rescue works with commercial breeders to help find better options for dogs that are used in commercial breeding facilities," Keiley said. "It's an important mission that we want to help with however we can, which often means bringing dogs to Massachusetts where we’re confident loving homes await.

"But, that's just one piece in stopping the inhumane practices of puppy mills. More needs to be done, and a big piece of that is stopping the sale of puppies in pet shops."

A proposed state bill would ban Massachusetts pet stores from selling dogs, cats and rabbits.

"Inhumane commercial breeding facilities supply pet shops with animals for their stores," MSPCA Advocacy Director Kara Holmquist said. "In those places, females can be bred as early and often as possible, and puppies are often taken from their mothers at such young ages that they're predisposed to a range of problematic behavioral issues.

"Plus, the dogs can be inbred or overbred, which causes a lot of health and genetic disorders. And, they can be kept in crowded conditions without socialization. If pet stores are no longer able to sell dogs, cats, and rabbits, fewer animals will suffer in those facilities."

The measure would allow consumers to buy the animals from responsible breeders, and pet shops would be allowed to partner with shelters and rescue organizations to provide animals for adoption in their stores.

More information on the bills may be found here.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at Scott.Souza@Patch.com. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)