While crews were able to quickly extinguish the small kitchen fire before it spread, they weren't prepared to find dozens of animals living in a cramped home.
All of the animals, including eight cats, five kittens, four turtles, two tortoises, four rabbits, three snakes and approximately 60 fish were handed over to the MSPCA-Nevins Farm in Methuen after the homeowner realized she could no longer meet their needs.
The name of the homeowner has not been released yet, and the exact address of the fire was not released Friday.
While the majority of the animals were in good condition, many of the cats were infested with ear mites and fleas, and the turtles and snakes were thin, according to Rob Halpin, a spokesman with the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
The snakes and turtles will be transported to the New England Herpetological Society for rehabilitation and adoption, while the remainder of the animals will be kept at Nevins Farm to address their socialization and healthcare needs will be met before they are placed up for adoption, Halpin said.
In a press release issued by the MSPCA, Mike Keiley, the director of the Noble Family Animal Care and Adoption Center at Nevins-Farm, said that he and his staff will take the necessary steps to ensure all of the animals are well taken care of while at the facility.
"High-volume animal surrenders are, unfortunately, not uncommon and our teams worked overtime to ensure we'd be ready to accommodate these animals," he said. "All of the animals will receive thorough veterinary exams and we will look to place as many of them up for adoption as soon as we can."
He said that the facility has never had that many fish at once surrendered, which forced them to invest in new equipment to meet all of their needs.
"We're confident we can meet their needs until permanent homes are found," he said.
(Sentinel and Enterprise - September 1, 2012)
