In May 2021, Governor Baker lifted capacity restrictions in many Massachusetts settings enabling Angell to “re-open” on June 14, 2021 and once again welcome non-emergency clients to use our waiting rooms, lobby, and restrooms in all of our Angell hospital locations. In addition, up to two clients per appointment are now permitted into exam rooms with their pets and Angell veterinarians. Clients and visitors of Angell hospitals must continue to wear a mask at all times when at our facilities. Our visiting policy for inpatients remains restricted for now, but we hope to open up visiting hours as good news continues to progress in the months ahead.

We recognize the vital role that our hospitals and adoption centers play as a safe haven for animals especially in times of crisis, and we are committed to being a resource for our community. Our front line team is grateful for your support and patience.

Angell Animal Medical Center

As an essential business, Angell Animal Medical Center has remained open during the pandemic and is providing urgent medical care, without disruption, to animal patients in our charge. We have implemented extensive safety precautions to protect both our clients and employees. As Mass state regulations change, we will update our guidelines. We thank you in advance for your understanding.

Angell Boston

How Angell Boston is delivering care to your pet while minimizing risk of COVID-19 transmission:

• Clients of all Angell services are once again allowed to use our waiting rooms, lobby, and restrooms.
• Clients and visitors of Angell hospitals must continue to wear a mask at all times when at our facilities.
• We welcome up to two clients per appointment back into exam rooms with their pets and Angell veterinarians.
• Our visiting policy for inpatients remains restricted for now, but we hope to open up visiting hours as good news continues to progress in the months ahead.
• Angell Pharmacy clients are welcome to come in to pick up medications/food during pharmacy business hours.
• Whenever possible, we ask that only one client come inside with each patient.
• While inside, we ask that you please maintain appropriate social distancing from all other clients and members of our staff.

Client Communication:

• Please make sure that you check in with a member of the front desk staff upon arrival and they will assist with transactions or direct you to the appropriate waiting area.

PLEASE NOTE: you SHOULD NOT enter our facility if any of the following are true:

• • You are experiencing a cough, fever, or chills.
  • You have tested positive for COVID-19, or if you (or anyone you live with) has a COVID-19 test pending.
  • You have traveled anywhere by plane in the last 14 days.
    If any of the above are true, please do not enter the building.
    Call from outside and we will arrange to assist you and your pet over the telephone.

Pharmacy:

• Angell continues to fill prescriptions 7 days per week, and pharmacy clients are welcome into the building to pick up and pay for food and medication refills. To maintain the safety of our clients and staff, clients are required to wear a mask and traffic patterns are clearly outlined on the floor to help maintain appropriate social distance while in the building. Mailing of prescriptions is available (shipping fees apply). Clients can submit their prescription requests at angell.org/pharmacy or by calling 617-524-5700.
• Please support Angell by ordering your Angell patient prescriptions through angell.org/pharmacy  versus other online sites.

Please note that failure to comply with Angell’s COVID-19 Safety Guidelines will result in your immediate removal from our facility.

Angell West, Waltham

• Emergency services. As of June 28, 2021 the Angell West Emergency/Critical Care (E/CC) service in Waltham is temporarily closed throughout the summer to all besides inpatients. The increase in inpatient volume drove this decision as it allows us to ensure high quality care for our other patients. The Angell West E/CC staff will work with the Angell Boston E/CC team to address the record high case load at our Boston location and decrease Emergency service wait times. We will reopen our Angell West E/CC to triages when our staff-to-patient volume ratio enables us to do so without impacting patient care. Importantly, ALL other specialty services at Angell West in Waltham will continue to serve patients without change (Internal Medicine, Surgery, Avian/Exotic Medicine, Dermatology, Physical Rehabilitation, and Cardiology consults). We will continue to hospitalize patients from these services and care for them overnight as needed. Specialty services will still offer surgery, procedures and diagnostic imaging (radiographs, ultrasound and CT).
• Angell West in Waltham continues to welcome all non-emergency referral cases. Clients or primary care veterinarians please call 781-902-8400 to schedule an appointment.
• Clients of all Angell West services are once again allowed to use our waiting rooms, lobby, and restrooms.
• Clients and visitors of Angell hospitals must continue to wear a mask at all times when at our facilities.
• Physical Rehabilitation. Our physical rehabilitation service at Angell West is open and continues to see patients. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call 781-902-8400.

Angell at Nashoba and Angell at Essex

• Angell at Nashoba in Westford and Angell at Essex in Danvers remain open for primary care services with entry into the hospitals restricted to one client per appointment, patients and staff.
• Clients are allowed into the clinic only during their pet’s exam, otherwise they will continue to wait in their cars. There is no waiting room access at this time.
• Clients and visitors of Angell hospitals must continue to wear a mask at all times when at our facilities.

Animal Care and Adoption Centers

• Adoption and surrender services are available by appointment.
  Please visit our website at mspca.org/surrender or mspca.org/adopt for more information.
• Our adoption centers remain closed to the general public.
  In order to maintain a safe environment for our staff, volunteers, animals and clients, the adoption centers will remain closed to walk-through traffic for the foreseeable future.
• Our low cost spay/neuter clinics are open in Boston, Centerville and Methuen Visit mspca.org/spayneuter to learn more.
• Dog training classes have resumed in Boston and Methuen. Visit mspca.org/dogtraining for more information on in-person and virtual training options.
• Visit mspca.org/events for updates on adoption center events.
  Please watch mspca.org/events for in-person and virtual event opportunities including vaccination clinics, humane education programs, and fundraising events.
• Our Community Outreach teams are providing access to food, emergency temporary housing, and urgent veterinary care. Our goal is to keep families together with their pets and make sure no pet goes hungry during the crisis. Visit mspca.org/communityoutreach to learn more.
• Foster care and volunteer programs are recruiting as needs arise at our adoption centers.
  Please visit mspca.org/volunteer for the most up-to-date information.
• We are accepting donated items on a limited basis.
  Visit mspca.org/wishlist for a list of items we do and do not accept at this time.

Thank you for your understanding and support as we strive to continue our work on behalf of animals and the people who love them. We are thinking about all of you – our staff, volunteers, supporters, clients, and community partners – and doing everything we can to be here for those who need us the most.

CDC Recommendations Regarding Companion Animals and COVID-19

Public health officials are still learning about severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2
(SARS-CoV-2. This is the virus that causes the COVID-19 disease), but there is no evidence that pets play a role in spreading the virus in the United States. Therefore, there is no justification in taking measures against companion animals that may compromise their welfare. Further studies are needed to understand if and how different animals, including pets, could be affected.

Until we know more, CDC recommends the following:

• Do not let pets interact with people or other animals outside the household.
• Keep cats indoors when possible to prevent them from interacting with other animals or people.
• Walk dogs on a leash, maintaining at least 6 feet from other people and animals.
• Avoid dog parks or public places where a large number of people and dogs gather.
• If you are sick with COVID-19 (either suspected or confirmed by a test), restrict contact with your pets and other animals, just like you would around other people.
• When possible, have another member of your household care for your pets while you are sick.
• Avoid contact with your pet, including petting, snuggling, being kissed or licked, and sharing food or bedding.
• If you must care for your pet or be around animals while you are sick, wear a cloth face covering and wash your hands before and after you interact with them.

For information on how to keep your indoor cat entertained, check out these tips from the MSPCA Animal Care and Adoption Center:

Cat Found Dead of Multiple BB Gunshot Wounds; Cambridge Police Dept., Animal Control Office Also Investigating

 $2,500 Reward for Information Leading to a Conviction

BOSTON, May 10, 2021 – The MSPCA-Angell’s Law Enforcement and the City of Cambridge Police departments, alongside the Cambridge Animal Control division, are seeking help from the public to identify whomever is responsible for binding and shooting a young male cat found dead near the intersection of Hurley and Sciarappa Streets in Cambridge, Mass. at approximately 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 6.

Cambridge’s Animal Control Officer responded to a call about a cat crying underneath a car and discovered that the cat, whose hind legs were bound with masking tape, had already died.  The Animal Control Officer brought the cat to Angell Animal Medical Center in Jamaica Plain, where Pathologist Pam Mouser performed a necropsy.

What Dr. Mouser found was shocking.

A large percentage of the cat’s fur was missing, and the animal suffered multiple BB gunshot wounds across its face and body.  Preliminary findings indicate that the cat died when one of the BBs punctured its lung.  Eleven BBs were removed from its body.

“This case is a particularly disturbing as the cat was not only shot numerous times, but was also purposefully bound with tape and ultimately left to die from his injuries,” said Dr. Mouser.

Owner: “Gosha” Disappeared from Front of Home

On the morning of Tuesday, May 4, “Gosha” disappeared from in front of his Cambridge home.  His owner, Francisco Rosales, sensed that something was wrong, and he and his wife immediately began posting flyers around their East Cambridge neighborhood in hopes that someone might spot Gosha.

“We’re devastated, and we cannot believe that something like this could happen to our cat, and our fear is that whoever killed Gosha could do this to someone else’s pet,” said Rosales.  “We urge anyone who may have information about who did this to please call the investigators.”

$2,500 Reward for Information Leading to Conviction

The cat is described as mostly black and shorthaired, with patches of white on its face, neck and paws.  The cat weighed 12.3 lbs.  Anyone with information is urged to call the MSPCA’s Law Enforcement phone number at 800-628-5808 or the Cambridge Police Dept. at 617-349-3300.

The MSPCA is offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to an animal cruelty conviction.  Animal cruelty is a felony crime in Massachusetts, punishable by up to seven years in prison and a maximum fine of $5,000.

The Cambridge Animal Commission encourages any cat owners in the area to keep their cats indoors. As a reminder, if your pet is lost, please call the Cambridge Animal Commission immediately at 617-349-4376. If you get a voicemail, please still leave your name, phone number, address and description of your pet. They will return your call as soon as possible. If this occurs during off-hours/holidays, please call the Cambridge Police at 617-349-3300. 

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MSPCA-Angell and Northeast Animal Shelter Pulling out All the Stops, Raising Funds to Save Adorable Georgia Transplant, “Bradley”

BOSTON and Salem, Mass., April 7, 2021 – In many ways, three-month-old Pit Bull mix puppy “Bradley” has come so far—traveling more than 1,100 miles from rural Georgia to Massachusetts, and the promise of a new and loving home—but his most dangerous journey is still ahead of him.

Little did anyone know that Bradley—the shy, playful pup with a heart-shaped nose, relocated to Salem’s Northeast Animal Shelter (NEAS) with 37 other dogs and cats on March 20^th—was gravely ill.

A health check performed upon arrival at NEAS revealed a congenital heart condition called Pulmonic Stenosis (PS), a grave diagnosis that put Bradley at risk of sudden death after just 90 days of life.  For the NEAS team, the discovery was devastating.

“His condition is so severe that we had to determine if surgery would even be an option for him,” said Dr. Lindsey Rynk of the Northeast Animal Shelter.  “None of us were prepared to give up, however, so we turned to the MSPCA-Angell for help.”

Angell Animal Medical Center Offers (Guarded) Hope
The NEAS team booked an appointment with Dr. Katie Hogan of Angell’s Cardiology service, who has treated PS at least 60 times in her career—and who made clear that, while surgery may offer Bradley a second chance, there are no guarantees.

“PS is a challenging diagnosis for any dog and without surgical intervention may prove fatal condition within a couple of years, and Bradley’s case is very severe, but we’re hopeful that surgery will save him from immediate danger and prolong his life,” said Dr. Hogan.

Armed with this information, the NEAS team decided the risk is worth taking, and Bradley’s surgery is now scheduled for April 13^th.  Bradley is staying in a foster home with one of Angell’s cardiology nurses until then to ease his stress and provide as normal a life as possible before his operation.

The minimally invasive procedure that Dr. Hogan will perform is called a balloon valvuloplasty.  Bradley will be anesthetized, and then intravenous catheters will be placed in his jugular vein, with larger catheters, and wires, passed through the right side of his heart.   A balloon will then be passed through his heart and inflated multiple times to open his abnormal valves.

Dr. Hogan has made clear that even with a successful surgery, Bradley will never be out of the woods.  “Even if the operation is a success—and we’ll do everything in our power to ensure the best outcome—it is still possible that this condition will shorten Bradley’s lifespan,” she said.

“But given all he’s been through, he deserves every chance we can give him, and he’s going to be in very good hands,” said Dr. Hogan.

Help Bradley!

Bradley’s surgery and aftercare are likely to exceed $7,500 and the MSPCA and NEAS are asking that anyone able to offset the costs to donate at neas.org/bradleysheart.

The Road Ahead

According to Dr. Hogan, most dogs who undergo the procedure are discharged the same day—and her hope is that Bradley will be, too.  “Most patients are able to resume normal activities within a few days, and we believe he may be cleared for adoption after 10 to 15 days,” said Dr. Hogan.  She added that Bradley will require a checkup at Angell four to six weeks after his surgery.

NEAS and the MSPCA will provide updates on Bradley’s condition, and more details on the kind of adoptive home he will require, should his surgery go well.  “He’s shy and will do best in a quieter home, and we’ll need to ensure his new owner is committed to his ongoing cardiology care,” said Dr. Rynk.”

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City of Lawrence Launches Investigation as the MSPCA Settles the Animals into its Adoption Centers

BOSTON, Methuen and Centerville, Mass., April 1, 2021 – The Easter holiday arrived early for 32 rabbits who were living in conditions described as “unsanitary” before being surrendered to the MSPCA-Angell on March 29.  The rabbits, mostly adults with some as young as five weeks of age, will be distributed among the MSPCA’s adoption centers in Methuen, Boston and Centerville on Cape Cod.

The rabbits include one mom nursing eight babies, were joined by seven chickens who were also surrendered from the same home in Lawrence, Mass.  The chickens—who officials believe to be about one year in age—will live alongside 24 other homeless chickens at Nevins Farm before they can be placed into new homes.

An Overwhelmed Owner Leads to Animals in Need

The animals involved were owned by someone who was overwhelmed by their numbers, and who became unable to provide for their basic care.  The rabbits, New Zealand and Dutch mixes, were living in conditions that had become unsanitary, and their dietary requirements were not being met.

Adopters Wanted!

MSPCA at Nevins Farm Director Meaghan O’Leary hopes that adopters will step up to take one, or a pair, home.  “This is a large surrender for us and has doubled our rabbit population in just one day,” she said.  “My message to anyone considering a new pet is that now is the time to visit one of our adoption centers to bring home a new best friend.”

O’Leary said that the MSPCA does not discourage rabbit adoption so close to the Easter holiday because, despite rampant speculation, there is no evidence that rabbits adopted near the holiday are returned at higher rates.  “Our adoption counselors are very skilled at making excellent matches for people that are thoughtful about adding [a rabbit] to their family,” said O’Leary.

The MSPCA’s three adoption centers remain closed to the public during the pandemic, but adoptions by appointment have proceeded apace.  Anyone interested in adopting the rabbits can fill out an online adoption inquiry here.

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