A Wheaten Terrier-mix puppy at the Associated Humane Societies facility in Tinton Falls Friday morning, shortly after his rescue in Shrewsbury. (Click to enlarge)

The last of five possibly abandoned young dogs that were on the loose in an industrial area of Shrewsbury was captured Friday morning, Animal Control Officer Henry Perez tells redbankgreen.

The Wheaten Terrier-mix pup, wet and mangy but tail a-wagging, was caught in a humane trap he set Tuesday, after four other dogs were rounded up near the Satellite Self Storage facility on Tuesday.

The first four, originally believed to be all puppies, are now known to be three pups – one a type of Pomeranian –and an adult female, said Perez. It’s unclear if the adult, a Wheaten mix like three of the pups, is the mother.

It’s also unknown, and likely to stay unknown, if the animals,  were born in the wild or dumped there, Perez said. They appear to have been using an exposed drainage pipe for temporary shelter, he said.

Efforts to learn where the dogs came from and how they got there proved fruitless, said Perez.

“There are no collars, no tags, no chips,” he said “There were no cameras on nearby buildings, no witnesses.”

Perez said the case went from an investigation to a “straight rescue” as he tried to corral the last of the dogs with a trap.

“He wanted nothing to do with it, and we were really worried,” he said. “But I changed the bait this morning, and he finally went in.”

Perez said the pup, like the others, was taken to the Associated Humane Societies facility in Tinton Falls, where, like the others, he is expected to be available for adoption after seven days of care and socialization.

“I think they’re going to get snapped up fast,” Perez said. “They’re all cleaned up and beautiful, wagging their tails.”