A story you'll see on just one station: stray dogs from Worcester are NOW available to go to new homes. Our investigation revealed they were "stuck" at a local kennel-and could not be adopted! But now, big changes underway because of Hank's investigation.
Lucky just got lucky. After being stuck in this cage for weeks, he now has a home and a family who loves him.
Sarah Mosier, Adopted Lucky
"I can't believe he hasn't had a home and somebody to love him, he's such a cuddle bug!"
Lucky was one of many stray dogs found on the streets of Worcester in the last year. They were all forced to live in these cages even though there were some families who wanted to give them a home and some love.
We let you know what was happening to them.
And now – after our story – the dogs have been moved to the Worcester Animal Rescue League, ready for new families to adopt them.
Allie Tellier, Executive Director Worcester Animal Rescue League
"I'm really glad that they're here and we're able to help so they can finally have a home. So we really need the community's support to find all these animals homes."
Last month, we told you the City of Worcester had hired this woman, Pat Dykas. She runs Barton Brook Kennels in Leicester. The contract she signed in 2010 says the city would pay her to take in strays and find them new homes. And that's what she did for a while.
But then state officials discovered what Dykas was doing with Worcester dogs was illegal because only non-profit organizations can place stray dogs with new families, and she doesn't run a non-profit.
So they stopped her from doing it.
That meant Worcester's strays kept coming in–but unless their owner claimed them–they could not go out to new homes.
Hank
you have to admit, it's a mess
Pat Dykas, Kennel Owner (from interview last month)
Yes, it's a mess.
Worcester officials admitted they never checked whether Dykas had the proper qualifications and didn't know what was happening to these poor dogs till we filled them in.
But now they've cleaned up the mess. And some of them like Lucky already have new homes!
Allie Tellier, Executive Director Worcester Animal Rescue League
"The dogs that we've received so far from the kennel are really great. I think they'd be great in any sort of family situation. They seem to get along with other dogs and they're really deserving of homes."
If you're interested in adopting one of these dogs the Worcester Animal Rescue League is open 7 days a week. Click here for more information: http://www.worcester-arl.org/
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