Sweet Paws Rescue to buy 69-acre Haverhill farm for its own ‘forever home'
'We are not a shelter,' executive director Cynthia Sweet said in an interview. 'I've never wanted to have a shelter. I don't think dogs or cats do well in a shelter environment.'
Instead, every animal goes directly into a network of foster homes until adoption — a model built to prepare them for life as family pets, avoiding the fear, stress, and behavioral issues that often develop in a traditional shelter environment, she said.
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So why the farm?
While Sweet Paws' 'shelterless' model minimizes time on-site, a physical facility has always been necessary — and today, it's needed more than ever. With a sharp rise in abandoned pets , many now require extended stays for medical care, recovery, and behavioral support, far beyond the 48-hour quarantine required for out-of-state rescues.
Historically, 97 percent of Sweet Paws' animals came from under-resourced areas in Mississippi and Alabama. To meet Massachusetts' quarantine requirements, the organization operated a small facility in Groveland, where animals stayed just long enough to clear quarantine before moving into foster care. Rapid turnover meant the building was often mostly empty.
'But now, 45 percent of our dogs are coming from Massachusetts,' Sweet said — a shift she says has accelerated dramatically over the past five years.
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At first, they were 'COVID dogs' — pets bought for companionship during lockdown. More recently, the housing crisis has driven many to give up their pets, Sweet said, whether due to no-pet policies, relocation, or loss of housing altogether.
The result: Shelters and rescues are overflowing, and animals are sometimes 'physically dumped on the side of the road,' according to Sweet. Sweet Paws is among the organizations local authorities now
increasingly turn to for help.
'Fourteen years ago, when I started Sweet Paws, someone asked me why [we focused on the South],' Sweet said. 'I said it was because there wasn't a massive problem in Massachusetts. And that if there ever was, we'd pivot and shift our focus.'
She laughed. 'But I didn't think it would actually happen!'
The nonprofit, which has dozens of dogs listed for adoption on its
Red Barron, a mixed breed, was given away as a puppy at a Wal-Mart in Mississippi.
Sweet Paws Rescue
Sweet said she has dreamed of moving to a farm 'for as long as I can remember.'
But the timing has proved ideal. Rescue animals often need spay/neuter surgery, vaccinations, injury treatment, and time to heal before they can be adopted.
Rather than a crowded shelter, the farm offers a peaceful, pastoral sanctuary where dogs and cats can recuperate in comfort. They'll still go into foster homes whenever possible, but when on-site stays are necessary, the farm's open fields will reduce stress and prepare animals for family life.
To fund its new home, Sweet Paws has launched a $4.5 million
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Sweet Paws announced Monday
The campaign's
first phase — securing the 69-acre Haverhill property — kicks off this summer; subsequent fundraising will finance an on-site veterinary clinic, expanded animal housing, and 'whatever new problems emerge in Massachusetts,' as Sweet put it.
True to its 'shelterless' roots, Sweet Paws still won't become a traditional shelter. Instead, they'll utilize the farm to uphold their mission in these unprecedented times: equipping cats and dogs for their forever homes.
Rita Chandler can be reached at
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