MSPCA Coalition To Host Statewide Fee-Free Shelter Dog Adoptions

SALEM, MA — A fee-free dog adoption event designed to ease the burden on shelters statewide starting on July 15 is part of a greater MSPCA-led coalition effort aimed at supporting overcrowded and understaffed shelters across Massachusetts.

The coalition is in response to a nationwide euthanasia crisis in the wake of the COVID-19 health crisis that has included more dogs entering shelters and staying there longer, leading to an increase in disease and behavioral issues within shelters and burnout among overworked staff.

MSPCA-Angell and the Northeast Animal Shelter is now leading a coalition of animal welfare groups across Massachusetts — Worcester Animal Rescue League (WARL), Boston Animal Control (BACO), Thomas J O'Connor Animal Control and Adoption Center (TJO), Dakin Humane Society, and Berkshire Humane Society — that will work together to improve and save the lives of animals.

The coalition is funded by Best Friends Animal Society.

"The issues facing animal welfare right now are daunting, to say the least," MSPCA-Angell Vice President of Animal Protection Mike Keiley said. "But we know that our best chance to address them means we need to work together.

"So, we're going to start at the top with one of the most pervasive issues we're experiencing, and that's the dog population crisis."

One of those issues is behavioral issues that can develop in shelters, making dogs and cats more difficult to rehome. Shelters often do not have enough trained behavior specialists to work with dogs and cats that are struggling with these issues.

As part of the coalition, the MSPCA-Angell will establish a behavior outreach role to work directly with animals at other shelters while also helping coalition members learn effective remedies they will be able to use on their own.

"Given that dogs entering shelters here (in Massachusetts) have an increasing need for behavior support and other resources, we've (the MSPCA-Angell) been advancing how we can meet those needs in our shelters and have found success," Keiley said. "Now, it's time to expand that support to other shelters with similar needs, and we're confident they can be successful as well, despite some lofty headwinds.

"Local animal control officers are seeing an increase in strays, and, unlike in the past, they're often unable to transfer animals to area shelters because those are already at or overcapacity due to the slowdown in adoptions impacting shelters across the country."

To help increase those adoptions, MSPCA-Angell and the Northeast Animal Shelter — which have had a series of fee-free adoption events over the past year as they have taken in dogs from overcrowded shelters across the country — are planning the first coalition-wide event for all dogs 1-year-old or older.

The "Mass Saves" adoption event will run from July 15 through July 21.

"Making space in all of the coalition shelters is vitally important, as it allows us to collectively help more local stray and surrendered pets," Keiley said. "Plus, we know that the formula to help dogs most in need right now is combining increased behavior support with reducing time in shelters, so we have the keys to being successful and want to get to work right away."

Hours vary by location, and all dogs from BACO will be adopted through MSPCA shelters.

Interested adopters may find more information on available dogs here.

(Scott Souza is a Patch field editor covering Beverly, Danvers, Marblehead, Peabody, Salem and Swampscott. He can be reached at [email protected]. X/Twitter: @Scott_Souza.)