As the COVID-19 situation evolves, we have put some changes into place at the MSPCA-Angell so we can continue to serve the pets and people of our community while keeping our staff, volunteers, and clients protected. 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. As we adjust to these unanticipated changes, our front line team is grateful for your support and patience. For CDC Recommendations Regarding Companion Animals and COVID-19, please see the bottom of this announcement.

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.

Coronaviruses in Dogs and Cats

Dogs and cats get their own coronaviruses that are not related to SARS-CoV-2019, the virus that causes COVID-19. The two most well-known cause Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) in cats and the other is part of the complex of pathogens that cause respiratory illness (Kennel Cough) in dogs. If a veterinarian diagnoses your dog with a coronavirus infection such as these rest assured it is not related to COVID-19 and not infectious to people.

Angell Boston

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

• To help ensure Angell’s clinicians and staff can safely continue to deliver care to our patients, we have taken steps to limit the amount of contact we have with our clientele. While all clients our now permitted to enter the building upon arrival at our facility, there will be times where we ask you to wait outside of the building for service. By waiting in your car or under the tents in our parking lot, you will help us maintain safe social distance with everyone in our lobby while staying below our COVID-19 building occupancy requirements.
  • Clients waiting for emergency services will be allowed to remain in the waiting room for the duration of their visit.
  • Clients coming to Angell for appointments or to admit/discharge their pet from the hospital should come inside upon arrival to begin the process with our front desk staff before returning outside to wait. We will communicate with you by telephone after you’ve stepped back outside.
  • Clients coming in to pick up previously ordered medications/food from our Pharmacy should come right in the building and complete their transaction with the staff inside.
• Client Communication: 
  • The nature of your visit will determine the next point of contact after your arrival to the hospital. Please make sure that you are checking in with a member of the front desk staff upon arrival and they will direct you to the appropriate waiting area and determine for you what the next point of contact will be.
• 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.
  • Once inside, please note that MASKS must be worn properly (completely covering your nose and mouth) at all times.
  • Whenever possible, we ask that only one (1) 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.
• Pharmacy.  Angell continues to fill prescriptions 7 days per week. Beginning Wednesday, July 15, the Angell Pharmacy in Boston will allow pharmacy clients into the building to pick up and pay for pre-ordered food and medication refills. Please note: This does not include prescriptions ordered during appointments or at discharge. To maintain the safety of our clients and staff, clients are required to wear a mask and traffic patterns will be clearly outlined on the floor to help maintain appropriate social distance while in the building. The building is not yet open to clients visiting for appointments, we will continue our curbside concierge service for non-pharmacy clients. Mailing of prescriptions 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

•  Angell West in Waltham continues to welcome all referral cases. Clients or primary care veterinarians please call 781-902-8400 to schedule an appointment.
• To help ensure the safety or our clinicians and staff, we are only allowing two (2) clients in the building at a time for end of life situations.
• Emergency services. As always, our emergency room is open 24 /7 Angell West to care for our most acutely ill patients.
• Call ahead. We encourage you and/or your primary care vet to call before your visit (if your pet is not experiencing a life-threatening emergency) so we can direct your needs in the most time and cost efficient manner.
• 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 patients and staff.

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 and Methuen.
  We ask for your patience as we work to reschedule appointments that were cancelled during the outbreak while also accommodating new inquiries for spay/neuter. We hope to start scheduling appointments for spay/neuter at our Cape adoption center in August.
• Dog training classes have resumed in Boston and Methuen.
  Visit mspca.org/dogtraining for more information on in-person and virtual training options.
• All adoption center events are cancelled for 2020.
  In-person events, including vaccination clinics, humane education programs, and fundraising events are cancelled.  Please watch mspca.org/events for future virtual event opportunities.
• 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 orientations are suspended until 2021.
  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.
• We are accepting monetary donations of support.
  Visit mspca.org/helpnow to donate to our COVID-19 relief efforts.

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. The effects of this crisis will be far reaching. By following the latest trusted science and being compassionate and kind to one another, we will get through this.

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:

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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MSPCA-Angell Asks Donors, Adopters to Step Forward to Ensure a Brighter Future for “Juicebox”

BOSTON, Feb. 9, 2021 – A seven-month-old cat that MSPCA-Angell staffers have named “Juicebox” is lucky to be alive after he was attacked by the resident dog at his Boston-area home on Jan. 20th and rushed to Angell Animal Medical Center by his family just after.

Angell’s emergency veterinarians treated the adorable orange cat for pain and head trauma, and diagnosed serious facial injuries: multiple jaw fractures, lacerations and damage to the palate in the roof of his mouth.

Novel Surgery, with BUTTONS to Hold Sutures in Place

Juicebox underwent surgery to repair the fractures and, in what veterinarians describe as a novel but highly effective approach, he now has four plastic buttons on his face—two on his cheeks and two below his chin—to hold sutures in place and stabilize his jaw so that healing can take place.  Juicebox is expected to “wear” his buttons for another four to six weeks, after which time they will be removed completely.

Juicebox’s former family made the difficult decision to surrender their cat to the MSPCA so that he can be placed in a new home, free of dogs.  MSPCA staffers are quick to point out, however, that what makes the young cat so special is not just how he looks, but his adorable and playful personality.

“He has obviously been through and survived a serious trauma, but he has adapted quickly to the sutures that limit the use of his jaw and, through it all, he’s remained an outgoing, playful and really friendly cat,” said Victoria Odynsky, manager at the MSPCA’s Boston adoption center.  “We are relieved that we are able to provide urgent medical care for him, and we’re glad to see him recovering so well.”

Juicebox has been placed in a foster home with an MSPCA volunteer who can manage his ongoing medical needs, and provide loads of TLC while he recovers.  He’ll return to the MSPCA this Friday, Feb. 12 for x-rays and to assess his progress.

Help Juicebox!

Juice Box’s medical care will exceed $2,000, and the MSPCA encourages anyone able to offset the cost of his care to donate at www.mspca.org/juicebox.

Juicebox will soon be ready for a permanent home, and the MSPCA expects many adopters to step forward, owing to soaring interest in animal adoption in Massachusetts.

Anyone interested in adopting Juicebox can inquire about his status by way of this form: www.mspca.org/bostonadoptioninquiry.