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Wanted: New homes for hundreds of N.H. mice and rats. Must love rodents and offer lots of treats. – The Boston Globe

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1 year ago

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Wanted: New homes for hundreds of N.H. mice and rats. Must love rodents and offer lots of treats. – The Boston Globe


STRATHAM, N.H. — Their names are Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda. No, they aren’t the famous fashionistas on a popular television series — they are four tiny rodents in search of their forever homes.

These four mice were among the more than 800 rodents that were surrendered to the New Hampshire Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals last month in an unprecedented event that has strained the Seacoast shelter.

The shelter is hosting an adoption event this weekend, in the hope of finding homes for the approximately 250 rodents that remain in its care. The typical adoption fee will be waived during the event, and the shelter is giving out rodent starter kits to families who take some home, including a tank, bedding, and other essentials.

“They’re a less common pet, and so they’re going to be hard to place, which is why we want to do this weekend promotion to really draw some attention,” said Sheila Ryan, the director of development and marketing for the NHSPCA.

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In the month since the rodents arrived, the organization has leapt into action to care for the tiny creatures, which it has identified as a mix of fancy mice and African soft-furred rats. They are bred as pets, different from species like field mice that are found in the wild.

“They are friendly, sweet, and curious. They are highly social and prefer to live in groups or pairs,” said Lisa Dennison, executive director of the NHSPCA in a statement. “It’s so much fun to just watch them play on their wheels or with their toys, or just burrowing or eating a sweet treat.”

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Staff members at the New Hampshire Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have been staying up late and coming in on their day off to care for the rodents, said Sheila Ryan, the director of development and marketing for the NHSPCA.Steven Porter/Globe Staff

Ryan said there are 142 mice and 93 rats available for adoption this weekend.

All of the 800 rodents came from one Seacoast home, where shelter staff said they were allowed to reproduce in an uncontrolled manner. After arriving at the NHSPCA, the rodents were separated by sex. The females were placed on a pregnancy watch before they could be adopted. Meanwhile, some of the males have been neutered.

“Male mice don’t like to cohabitate with each other, but they are social,” said Ryan. “They would like to be with their girlfriends, but we don’t want more babies, so neutering the males allows us to send them home with the females.”

About 300 rodents have been transferred to other humane organizations around New England, according to the NHSPCA, while 117 rodents have already been adopted, and more than 100 have been euthanized due to illness or physical conditions. Ryan said some females remain on pregnancy watch and have not yet been cleared for adoption.

While some commentators on social media were quick to suggest that the rodents could be easily transformed into snake food, NHSPCA staff bristled at the suggestion, which runs counter to their vision statement of providing “A safe and loving home for every animal.” Ryan pointed out that these are companion animals meant to be pets, not pet food.

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They’ve found other ways to tame the chaos of receiving 800 rodents. On Thursday, several people were hard at work doing a deep clean with the rodents that are ready for adoption. Four spaces in the shelter have been converted into rodent lodging, full of beady little eyes and scampering.

Every single rodent now has a name of its own, and the rodents that live together are often named according to a theme such as cereal, sports, or candy.

Ryan said staff members are logging long hours, staying up past midnight or coming in on their day off to care for the rodents, who need to be evaluated, named, and logged in a database that tracks their outcome. But she noted that the shelter has received less donations than they typically do for such an unusual rescue.

“In some ways it’s been crippling,” Ryan said. “In other ways, it’s been really a labor of love.”

The adoption center is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day except Wednesday. The adoption event runs from Friday through Sunday.

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Amanda Gokee can be reached at amanda.gokee@globe.com. Follow her @amanda_gokee. Steven Porter can be reached at steven.porter@globe.com. Follow him @reporterporter.





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New Hampshire

Mass. man nabbed after allegedly driving over 100 mph in N.H.

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2 hours ago

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March 9, 2026

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Mass. man nabbed after allegedly driving over 100 mph in N.H.


Local News

Police say the Attleboro man was driving 104 mph in a 55 mph zone on Route 202 near in Rindge, New Hampshire.

A Massachusetts man was arrested late Wednesday night after police say he was driving more than 100 mph on a New Hampshire roadway. 

Officers with the Rindge Police Department stopped a vehicle shortly after 11 p.m. on Route 202 near Sears Drive in Rindge following a report of a car traveling at excessive speed, according to a statement from Chief Rachel Malynowski. 

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The vehicle, a 2020 Kia Stinger, was spotted traveling at 104 mph in a posted 55 mph zone, Malynowski said. 

The driver, a 21-year-old man from Attleboro, was arrested and charged with reckless operation of a motor vehicle, according to police. 

He is scheduled to be arraigned April 5. If convicted, the man faces a fine of at least $750, in addition to the court’s penalty assessment, and a 90-day license suspension, Malynowski said. 

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New Hampshire

Bill to outlaw using student IDs to vote clears NH Legislature

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14 hours ago

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March 9, 2026

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Bill to outlaw using student IDs to vote clears NH Legislature





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New Hampshire

NH cold case solved 40 years after police found man’s skull in woods

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1 day ago

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March 8, 2026

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NH cold case solved 40 years after police found man’s skull in woods


Local News

Investigators partnered with a nonprofit genetic genealogy analysis organization to identify the man who the remains belonged to.

Warren Kuchinsky was born in 1952 and last known to be alive in the mid-1970s. New Hampshire Department of Justice

By Darin Zullo

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2 minutes to read

After nearly four decades, a man whose skull was discovered in the New Hampshire woods has been identified.

Warren Kuchinsky was born in 1952 and was last known to be alive in the mid-1970s, New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella and New Hampshire State Police Colonel Mark Hall said in a statement. In 1986, his skull was found in a wooded area in the town of Bristol.

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At the time, investigators weren’t able to identify whose skull it was, according to officials. Last year, however, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner partnered with the DNA Doe Project, a nonprofit organization, to solve the case using forensic genetic genealogy techniques.

Kuchinsky’s identity was confirmed through DNA testing of a surviving family member, according to officials. There is no evidence that his death was caused by foul play, according to the statement.

Founded in 2017, the DNA Doe Project partners with law enforcement, medical examiners, and volunteer genealogists to apply investigative genealogy to John and Jane Doe cases. By analyzing DNA profiles and building family trees from publicly available genetic databases and historical records, the organization has helped solve more than 250 cases nationwide.

“We are honored to have partnered with the State of New Hampshire on this case,” DNA Doe Project Team Leader Lisa Ivany said in the statement. “Through the power of investigative genetic genealogy and the dedication of our volunteer genealogists, we were able to develop a critical lead in less than 24 hours. We truly hope that this identification brings long-awaited answers to Mr. Kuchinsky’s family.”

Initial DNA testing turned up only distant matches, so the DNA Doe Project selected the case to be worked on at a virtual retreat in May 2025, according to the organization’s case profile. Over the course of a weekend, more than 40 genealogists from the U.S., Canada, England, and Scotland collaborated virtually to work on the case.

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Within hours, the team discovered that the unidentified man had roots in New Hampshire and Quebec, according to the profile. They later zeroed in on Kuchinsky, who had attended school in Plymouth, N.H., but had no official proof of life past 1970.

“This identification reflects the power of partnership and scientific advancement,” Formella said in the statement. “The dedication of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, the investigative support of the New Hampshire State Police, and the extraordinary work of the DNA Doe Project have restored a name to an individual who had been unidentified for nearly 40 years. We are grateful for their professionalism and commitment.”

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