More than 150 animals, including some that are illegal to have as pets, were removed from a home in Western Massachusetts Wednesday.
MSPCA-Angell’s law enforcement team and Hadley Police removed the animals from poor conditions at a property in Hadley. The majority of the animals were birds, including chickens, geese, cockatiels and parrots. There are also goats, cows, pigs, sheep, rabbits and one pony. Officials also said there was a deer and Canada geese, which are wildlife that are illegal to have as pets in Massachusetts.
“Many of the animals lacked access to food and water,” said MSPCA-Angell Law Enforcement Director Chris Schindler. “The majority were also living outdoors without adequate protection from the elements.”
Prior to removing the animals, MSPCA-Angell attempted to work with the owner to get the animals the care they needed. But those attempts were not successful, Schindler said.
Winter in New England is especially difficult for farm animals. They often need shelter and supplemental feed and hay.
“In warmer temperatures, many farm animals get nutrients from grazed grass, but when the ground freezes, that’s no longer an option,” Schindler said. “Those animals can rapidly lose weight if their owners aren’t supplementing their diets with additional feed and hay, which is when we may need to step in.”
The animals are now at MSPCA-Angell facilities where they will be cared for while the court process plays out.
