'Emergency' Dog Fee-Free Adoption Call As MA Shelters Hit Capacity

SALEM, MA — MSPCA-Angell is holding an emergency fee-waived adoption event for dogs 6 months and older as it tries to free up kennel space at its Massachusetts shelters ahead of the summer intake season.

The adoptathon will run through Sunday at its adoption centers in Boston, Methuen, Salem and Centerville on Cape Cod.

The event is being scheduled before MSPCA-Angell’s regular summer adoption series because of what the organization described as an urgent need for space.

"Capacity in our shelters is already at the brim, especially for dogs who tend to face longer stays," said Jamie Garabedian, project manager in the MSPCA-Angell's Animal Protection Division. "We need to address this now to ensure we're in a strong position heading into the summer, particularly on the heels of Memorial Day, when stray intake often surges."

Dog adoptions through MSPCA-Angell are down 23 percent compared with this time last year, Garabedian said.

"We're spotlighting dogs through this event because their adoption numbers have consistently declined over the years," she said. "This is likely due to a combination of factors, including the rising cost of veterinary care, increased cost of living, housing instability and restrictions, and lifestyle changes following the pandemic.”

“We recognize that these factors are still very relevant. At the same time, we hope those who are in a position to adopt and have been considering doing so will take this as a sign to stop by and give a great dog a home."

Open adoption hours vary by location. More information is available here.

"In addition to assisting with stray intake, we’ll also be navigating a traditional summer spike in animals arriving through law enforcement activity and local surrenders, as well as an increase in the number of dogs included in regularly scheduled out-of-state transports from our relocation partners," Garabedian said. "Ultimately, the flow of animals coming to us isn't going to slow down, and neither can our actions to help them — making this urgent call to adopters especially critical.

"We're pulling out all the stops to help more dogs get adopted, so stay tuned for the weeks ahead. It's an all-hands-on-deck effort as we work to free up kennel space and continue saying 'yes' to other animals who need us."