Franklin County farm owner surrenders nearly 150 animals following investigation
METHUEN, Mass. (WWLP) – An investigation is ongoing as more than 140 animals from a property in Franklin County were surrendered.
In a news release sent to 22News from MSPCA-Angell, a total of 147 animals, consisting of pigs, goats, chickens, geese, ducks, cattle, horses, donkeys, and dogs, were removed on April 16, and some have since given birth. The number of animals has put a strain on the non-profit organization.
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Due to the influx of animals at MSPCA, this weekend, the animal shelter is waiving the adoption fees for more than 100 of these animals, including pigs, goats, farm birds, and a young horse who was previously surrendered.
'This was a massive undertaking—we took in an entire farm at one time and moved it to Nevins,' said Mike Keiley, vice president of the MSPCA-Angell's Animal Protection Division. 'Obviously, following that kind of intake, our resources are really being pushed to the brink.'
'We need to find homes for a lot of these animals, and fast,' Keiley added. 'We typically see more cases of neglect in turbulent economic times, and, given what we're already seeing with the increasing costs of hay and feed, I expect more animals will need to come to Nevins soon, whether through owner surrender or related to Law Enforcement cases.'
The adoptathon is being held on June 7 and 8 from 12:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Nevins Farm, located on 400 Broadway in Methuen. Online registration, additional information, and donation details can be found at mspca.org/feewaived.
'We're fortunate to have both the staffing and expertise to make it work, not to mention the equipment needed to move so many animals at once, as well as the space they all need to thrive,' Keiley said. 'All told, we're hoping to adopt out about 120 animals in just two days. It's a huge goal, but it's what we need to do in order to be there for the next animals who need us.'
WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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