Animal Shelter, Inc.

- Effective February 15th, 1999 - the Animal Shelter Inc. spays / neuters all animals they leave the shelter.  This includes puppies and kittens as young as 6 weeks. We maintain a 100% compliance rate and will NOT adopt un-neutered animals UNLESS it is a MEDICAL necessity due to age, complications and/or known congenital defects, which may risk the pet's life. Early age spay and neuter is the surgical sterilization of companion animals prior to the conventional age of 6 months. For an increasing number of shelters it can mean 100% sterilization compliance rates, fewer returned animals, and improved staff morale. While it may seem that interest in early spay/neuter is a recent phenomenon, it has not only been talked about, but it has been practiced for over 25 years in North America!

Established July 2000 - A Death Row Puppy Rescue Mission -Rescuing and re-homing puppies/dogs from Virginia - destined to die in the gas chambers. Currently we work with dozens of rural community kill shelters, animal control facilities and pounds. Here at our shelter, they are spayed or neutered and provided any needed vet care and found loving homes! We have rescued and re-homed thousands of dogs and puppies through this program. We've also been working with shelters in Tennessee – Louisiana – Mississippi - Alabama -Louisiana - Texas - the Carolina's (North and South) and Texas.

-Established January 2001 – our shelter provides free and low cost spaying/neutering for pet owners that have recently surrendered offspring of their pet/s. Those pets who enter this program must meet specific criteria for our services. It is our goal to accept the juveniles into our shelter (where they will be spayed or neutered before adoption), spay the mother (and father) dog/cat so they do not become repeat offenders of continual litters reproducing in our community. Prior to instituting this program, we repeatedly saw multiple litters of puppies/kittens coming from the same household. We have spayed hundreds of dogs/cats that would have otherwise kept delivering puppies/kittens in to our community.

– Established 2003 - our shelter clinic also provides low/no cost spay/neuter, treatment, vaccination care for several dozen breed rescue organizations, cat rescue programs and smaller shelters that do not have funds or veterinary care available to them. Each month on a space available basis we provide AT COST medical care for these non profit organizations so they are able to adopt out pets maintaining a 100% compliance rate on spay/neuter PRIOR to adoption. To date our shelter vet staff has performed thousands of surgeries/treatments and medical procedures for several dozen organizations. Additionally, our shelter collects and donates thousands of pounds of pet food and supplies for groups less fortunate than ours.

– Established September 2003 – The staff, vets and volunteers at our shelter have partnered with rescue organizations in the Caribbean islands to spay/neuter and provide general veterinary care for the animals of their community at NO COST. In the Caribbean there is no money and no governmental support for animals. Our newest program is to assemble a vet team one to two times a year and travel to the most remote parts of the Caribbean (and beyond) to assist the poorest of people care for their pets. Spay/Neuter is our most important focus as well as education, proper nutrition, and ID collars for the pets. Not only do we spay or neuter their pets, we continue to collect donations and supplies to send every couple of months. 100% of the trip, supplies and materials are donated or funds are raised specifically for these trips. Our shelter staff and vets have traveled to Saint Lucia, Puerto Rico, and the Galapagos Islands.  

– Established August 2004 – trained shelter staff and veterinarians travel to natural and man made disasters to assist animals in need. Rescue, recovery and rehabilitation are the main focus. 100% of the trip/s are funded through our donations. Our shelter is proud to have assisted after Hurricane Charley and Hurricane Katrina.

 – Established Spring 2006 – an intra-state kitten (and cat) relocation program assisting overburdened euthanasia shelters in Massachusetts. Spring through fall (which is high volume kitten season for shelters in New England) - our shelter accepts felines from shelters that are filled to capacity and that face euthanasia for lack of space. Our shelter absorbs 100% of the costs to spay/neuter, test, vaccinate and care for these felines until they are adopted. To date we have accepted several HUNDRED felines through this program that would otherwise be euthanized through no fault of their own.

Established January 2001 – our shelter provides free and low cost spaying/neutering for pet owners that have recently surrendered offspring of their pet/s. Those pets who enter this program must meet specific criteria for our services. It is our goal to accept the juveniles into our shelter (where they will be spayed or neutered before adoption), spay the mother (and father) dog/cat so they do not become repeat offenders of continual litters reproducing in our community. Prior to instituting this program, we repeatedly saw multiple litters of puppies/kittens coming from the same household. We have spayed hundreds of dogs/cats that would have otherwise kept delivering puppies/kittens in to our community.

– Established 2003 - our shelter clinic also provides low/no cost spay/neuter, treatment, vaccination care for several dozen breed rescue organizations, cat rescue programs and smaller shelters that do not have funds or veterinary care available to them. Each month on a space available basis we provide AT COST medical care for these non profit organizations so they are able to adopt out pets maintaining a 100% compliance rate on spay/neuter PRIOR to adoption. To date our shelter vet staff has performed thousands of surgeries/treatments and medical procedures for several dozen organizations. Additionally, our shelter collects and donates thousands of pounds of pet food and supplies for groups less fortunate than ours.

– Established September 2003 – The staff, vets and volunteers at our shelter have partnered with rescue organizations in the Caribbean islands to spay/neuter and provide general veterinary care for the animals of their community at NO COST. In the Caribbean there is no money and no governmental support for animals. Our newest program is to assemble a vet team one to two times a year and travel to the most remote parts of the Caribbean (and beyond) to assist the poorest of people care for their pets. Spay/Neuter is our most important focus as well as education, proper nutrition, and ID collars for the pets. Not only do we spay or neuter their pets, we continue to collect donations and supplies to send every couple of months. 100% of the trip, supplies and materials are donated or funds are raised specifically for these trips. Our shelter staff and vets have traveled to Saint Lucia, Puerto Rico, and the Galapagos Islands.  

– Established August 2004 – trained shelter staff and veterinarians travel to natural and man made disasters to assist animals in need. Rescue, recovery and rehabilitation are the main focus. 100% of the trip/s are funded through our donations. Our shelter is proud to have assisted after Hurricane Charley and Hurricane Katrina.

 – Established Spring 2006 – an intra-state kitten (and cat) relocation program assisting overburdened euthanasia shelters in Massachusetts. Spring through fall (which is high volume kitten season for shelters in New England) - our shelter accepts felines from shelters that are filled to capacity and that face euthanasia for lack of space. Our shelter absorbs 100% of the costs to spay/neuter, test, vaccinate and care for these felines until they are adopted. To date we have accepted several HUNDRED felines through this program that would otherwise be euthanized through no fault of their own.

Established February, 1999 - Our shelter has maintained a 100% compliance rate on spay/neuter of all animals before they leave the shelter. This includes puppies and kittens as young as 8 weeks UNLESS there is a MEDICAL necessity that would cause fatal complications or risk the pet's life. Early age spay / neuter is the surgical sterilization of companion animals prior to the conventional age of 6 months. For shelters it can mean 100% sterilization compliance rates, fewer returned animals, and improved staff morale.

Established May 1999 - a joint life-saving venture with animal rescues of Puerto Rico. Hundreds of homeless, neglected animals are rescued, rehabilitated and flown to our shelter each year, where they find loving, lifelong homes. These dogs known as "Satos" (mixed breed street dogs) are spayed or neutered, provided any necessary vet care and found loving homes! To date our shelter has rescued and re-homed thousands of these amazing dogs/puppies.

Established January 2001 – our shelter provides low/no cost spaying/neutering for pet owners that have recently surrendered a litter. Pets who enter this program must meet specific criteria for our services. It is our goal to accept the litter (where they will be spayed/neutered and receive any necessary medical prior to adoption), spay the mother (and/or neuter the father) dog/cat so they do not become repeat offenders of continual litters reproducing in our community. Prior to instituting this program, we repeatedly saw multiple litters of puppies/kittens coming from the same household. We have spayed hundreds of dogs/cats that would have otherwise kept delivering puppies/kittens in to our community. IF YOU KNOW OF A PET THAT WOULD BENEFIT FROM THIS PROGRAM PLEASE CONTACT OUR SHELTER 978-422-8585 or email [email protected]

Established 2003 - our on-site veterinary clinic provides low cost spay/neuter and medical care for several dozen N.E. Animal organizations that do not have funds or veterinary care available to them. This program allows other organizations to adopt out pets maintaining a 100% compliance rate on spay/neuter PRIOR to adoption. To date our clinic has performed thousands of surgeries/treatments and medical procedures for several dozen groups. Additionally, our shelter collects and donates thousands of pounds of pet food and supplies each month for animal welfare organizations in need and less fortunate than ours.

Established September 2003 – The staff, vets and volunteers at our shelter have partnered with rescue organizations in the Caribbean islands to spay/neuter and provide general veterinary care for the animals of their community at NO COST. In the Caribbean there is no money or governmental support for animals. Spay/Neuter is our most important focus as well as education, proper nutrition, and ID collars for the pets. 100% of the trip, supplies and materials are donated or raised funds specifically for these trips. Saint Lucia, Puerto Rico, and the Galapagos Islands have all received our assistance.

Established September 2003 - The "Bone Badge" Girl Scout Pet Care patch is offered. The girls have a minimum number of lessons in kindness to perform in order to earn their patch. The program and all the lessons are age appropriate for Daisies, Brownies, Juniors, and Cadettes/Seniors. The girls learn how to be safe around animals, how to properly care for a pet, importance of having proper identification on pets, and the importance of medical care. We have educated hundreds of girls through this program.

Established September 2003 – a formal program for kids that are to young to help IN our shelter. The kids have the ability to tour our shelter, learn about community involvement and the importance of volunteering. Children get a behind the scenes tour of the shelter and are educated on a variety of animal welfare topics including basic animal care, the responsibility of owning a pet, how to be safe around pets, importance of spaying and neutering, and what THEY can do to help the pets in our shelter and community.

Established August 2004 – disaster animal rescue trained shelter staff and veterinarians travel to natural and man-made disasters to assist animals in need. Rescue, recovery and rehabilitation are the main focus. 100% of the trips are funded through donations. Our shelter is proud to have assisted after Hurricane Charley, Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy.

Established January 2005 – Updated program in 2012 - Tufts University 4th year vet students spend one week rotations in our on-site shelter veterinary clinic providing them hands on surgical experience. Over 60 students rotate through this program each year where they perform several dozen spays/neuters and other miscellaneous surgical procedures they would never be permitted to do in a private practice vet hospital. We have the opportunity to educate the students about pet overpopulation problems, pediatric spay/neuter procedures and protocols (practiced in few veterinary hospitals/shelters throughout all of the United States), shelter medicine and herd health/management. New graduates will leave school with a sense of accomplishment and passion and we hope "give back" to the homeless animals in their community in the future. Many of our externs have gone on to specialize and focus in shelter medicine and are currently working with shelters nationally! In addition, many of the students have gone on to develop official Shelter Medicine programs in their own Colleges which proves that this program is extremely beneficial.

Established 2014 - Our shelter accepts recent veterinary graduates who spend 1 day a week for 2 weeks - in our on-site veterinary clinic allowing them to gain valuable hands on surgical experience, education about shelter medicine, techniques on high volume/pediatric spay and neuter which ultimately helps them become better doctors while practicing in their own hospitals. We accept an average of 30-40 doctors each year.

Established January 2006 – each year our shelter receives countless numbers of pets that are not immediately suitable for adoption. Pets that might be in need of medical care / treatment, socialization, behavioral evaluations and training, or may be too young to be spayed/neutered and sheltered for adoption at our facility. Our foster care families each have a niche to provide a life-saving option for pets that would otherwise be left as strays on the street, euthanized for behavior or medical reasons and passed over for potential adoption. Many of our foster families have a "specialty” within the foster program – from feral feline rehabilitation, providing basic medical care and treatments, capability of evaluating and modifying behavioral issues or just a loving, warm, safe environment to allow our juvenile animals to grow in to young dogs/cats. Foster animals lives saved 2010: 503 - 2011: 100 animals - 2012: 85 animals 2013: 75 animals 2014: 40 animals

Established January 2006 – volunteers are critical to our organizations mission. Our shelter formalized a volunteer program which accepts volunteers 17 years and older. Formal orientations are held each month that walk potential volunteers through our shelter goals, missions and programs. Our volunteers have a variety of tasks they can participate in, including hands on pet care, administrative tasks and events. Over the past years our shelter has benefited from hundreds of volunteers assisting our shelter, collectively donating several thousand hours of their time. Volunteer hours 2007: 4747 - 2008: 3500 - 2009: 4859 - 2010: 6592 - 2011: 5749.5 - 2012: 2873.5 2013: 3483 2014 - 4108 hours w/ 106 volunteers.

Established Spring 2006 – an intra-state kitten (and cat) relocation program assisting overburdened euthanasia shelters in Massachusetts. Spring through fall (which is high volume kitten season for shelters in New England) - our shelter accepts felines from shelters that are filled to capacity and that face euthanasia for lack of space. Our shelter absorbs 100% of the costs to spay/neuter, test, vaccinate and care for these felines until they are adopted. Each year, we accepted several HUNDRED felines EACH YEAR through this program that would otherwise be euthanized through no fault of their own. In 2015 our shelter started similar rescue programs for the felines from shelters in New Jersey, Texas and Puerto Rico and additional southern shelters.

Established 2010 – offering low cost spay/neuter for feral cats. Ferals lives are short and usually harsh. They struggle to find food and water in an environment filled with the constant threats of disease, starvation, cruelty and predation. They are the abandoned, the lost and the wild. The number of feral cats in the U.S. is estimated to be in the tens of millions. Sadly, many communities still opt to control populations using outdated methods, including lethal elimination or relocation. Not only are some of these methods horribly cruel, they are also highly ineffective. Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) as the only proven humane and effective method to manage feral cat colonies. For more information/questions or to schedule an appointment please call 978-422-8449 or email [email protected]

Established 2012 – For pet owners that are no longer able to care for their pets or if the pets should outlive the owner, the owner becomes ill and can no longer care for the pets, we will immediately finalize arrangements with the pet owners representative, family member, or executor to have their pets transported to our facilities for care, housing and medical treatment – where the pet will safely reside with us until adopted. This program is available to pets regardless of where they reside. For information [email protected]

Spring 2013 – our on-site veterinary clinic offers low cost spay/neuter for friendly, healthy dogs and cats to the public. Vaccination and micro-chipping are optional, but to participate in the program, pets must receive spay or neuter services. Most importantly - This program is NOT limited by income requirements. The clinic can discuss options for pricing on other vaccines/tests – a valid RABIES vaccine is mandatory per state law before or at the shelter before we surgery. Our staff veterinarian has the right to refuse surgery if the pet is aggressive/sick. For more information/questions or to schedule an appointment please call 978-422-8449 or email [email protected].

OUR SHELTER BELIEVES IN BUILDING STEPS TOWARD AN "ADOPTERS WELCOME” ADOPTION PROGRAM
Building an "Adopters Welcome” adoption program starts with a philosophical commitment to celebrating people’s willingness to adopt, meeting them where they are in terms of their attitudes and understanding of pet care and investing in their success with guidance and practical support. Putting this philosophy into practice requires several steps:

Established 2015 - our shelter assists other shelters/rescues in the South that are forced to euthanize friendly, healthy adoptable cats and kittens for space. Our shelter arranges and pays for the transportation of these felines so they can come to our shelter where they are spayed/neutered and adopted to loving, lifelong homes.