‘Summer Ruff-Fresher’ Adoption Program Seeks to Find Homes for 100+ Pets

The MPSCA-Angell shelters, Northeast Animal Shelter of Salem, and five partner shelters across Massachusetts have launched the "America Runs on Doggos" summer adoption campaign. The week-long adoption initiative has set a goal of finding permanent homes for at least 100 shelter dogs during the week of June 23.

"Summer Ruff-Fresher" runs through June 29. Adoption fees for all dogs 1 year or older will be waived during this time.

All four MSPCA-Angell shelters in Boston, Methuen, Salem, and Centerville on Cape Cod — plus MASS coalition partners Berkshire Humane Society, Boston Animal Care and Control, the Thomas J. O'Connor Animal Control & Adoption Center, and the Worcester Animal Rescue League — are participating. The non-coalition partner Animal Protection Center of Southeastern Massachusetts is also joining in the effort.

All dogs available for adoption have been spayed or neutered and have received veterinary examinations. Those interested in adopting a dog are invited to visit the MSPCA-Angell website to view available dogs and their locations.

"Summer is a great time to adopt, not only because families are together at home to help acclimate a new pet, but also because intake at shelters tends to increase, especially in other parts of the country with higher homeless animal populations, including where some of our transport partners are," said Jamie Garabedian, project manager of the MSPCA-Angell's Animal Protection Division, in a statement shared with the Patch of Salem. 

"Dog populations increase even more during warm weather for a multitude of reasons," Garabedian continued, "so shelters that are already overcapacity are further strained, and that's not even taking into account the fact that they're also more likely to get inundated with animals due to hurricanes and related natural disasters that happen more frequently this time of year."