SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – After a Hampshire County resident had over 70 dogs rescued from her home, Dakin Humane Society promptly began assessing each one to prepare for adoption.

Representatives from the Franklin County Regional Dog Shelter and Berkshire Humane Society joined Dakin and officials at the home on Monday to place the small dogs in carriers and get them to their respective organizations.

“The first step was to determine how many animals were on the property, and develop a plan with our partners for their removal and future care.  In delicate situations like this, it’s important to build trust with the owner in order to help her make the difficult decision to downsize. This case is an example of the intersection of animal welfare and human service and underlines one of Dakin’s core values of compassion for pets and people alike,” Dakin’s Executive Director, Meg Talbert said.

This intake of more than 40 dogs is the largest amount of dogs that Dakin has recieved in its 54-year history. Hard work and care was put forth from staff, volunteers and foster caregivers alike to arrange appropriate transport and accommodations for the dogs.

If you are interested in adopting, you can fill out an application here but Dakin is warning people that the dogs will need to be prepared to train them.

As the dogs were always kept indoors, Talbert noted, “They don’t understand the concept of being walked on a leash, so adopters will need to be prepared to house train these dogs as well as introduce them to the joys of outdoor walking. And, of course, be patient and understanding as these dogs have special needs and will require time to adjust to their new homes.”