Animal shelters to combat dog population crisis by waiving adoption fee

A coalition of animal adoption groups across Massachusetts, including the Worcester Animal Rescue League, have teamed up to put on a statewide adoption event for each animal welfare group involved.

The groups include the WARL, Boston Animal Control, Thomas J. O’Connor Animal Control and Adoption Center, Dakin Humane Society and Berkshire Humane Society. The coalition is funded by the Best Friends Animal Society and put together by MSPCA-Angell.

“MSPCA is an industry leader here in New England for animal welfare. They contacted us about the coalition and we jumped at the chance to partner with them as well as some other great organizations,” WARL Executive Director Kristin Mullins said. “We’re stronger together. All the shelters here in New England are struggling with the same things, which is mostly that they’re at capacity.”

The adoption event is the first venture the coalition will do together. There will be a statewide adoption fee waiver for included animal welfare groups from July 15 to July 21.

“Our mission is pretty broad,” MSPCA-Angell Vice President Mike Keiley said. “We do a number of things in the animal protection division to help animals. We bring animals in from other parts of the country that are in an even more overpopulated situation and help provide some relief to relocation.”

Keiley said many stray dogs need specialized help from behavior experts to adjust to shelter life long enough to find their adoptive home. As part of the coalition, MSPCA-Angell will establish a behavior outreach role to work with animals in shelters statewide while also helping coalition members learn how to use effective remedies on their own.

“Many of the dogs, at least ours, need to be the only pet in the home,” Mullins said. “So for us, that’s been a challenge.”

After the COVID-19 pandemic, Keiley said the intake of animals in shelters across Massachusetts was lower than anticipated. Because of that and the increase of stray animals in shelters, shelters are close to or at capacity. Mullins said animals are entering WARL at a “maximum rate,” and that most shelters are struggling with that.

“We’re seeing, what I think, is a massive staff changeover, and a lot of the people working in animal welfare, this is the first time they’ve experienced a crisis level in a way that seasoned veterans like myself have seen repeated throughout my time in animal welfare,” Keiley said.

He also said structurally shelters are less prepared than ever to deal with the high influx of animals. Mullins added that the WARL is at about 90% capacity right now. The goal of this event is to ensure more space in shelters across the state for strays.

“This is the highest number of animals we’ve had in our care for sure,” Mullins said. “Most of our population is coming from strays right now.”

This adoption event, like other gateway adoption events, helps make people aware of the issues shelters are facing and stimulates adoption, Keiley said.

“The fee waiver helps with that,” Keiley said. “We are dealing with an economic recession right now, especially related to inflation, so I think whenever we can remove the barrier of adoption fees for people wanting to bring a dog into their home we try to.”

Keiley noted that adopting an animal is costly, though. The cost of groceries, including all things needed to support a dog, and vet fees have increased due to inflation.

“If we can remove that one cost upfront to help conserve those resources for people who are right on that cusp are motivated to adopt a little bit more,” Keiley said.