All Dogs, No Matter Their Age, Will Be Included
BOSTON, April 15, 2026 – The MSPCA-Angell and two of its shelter partners are hosting a fee-waived adoptathon across the state to help find homes for more than 100 dogs of all ages, the organizations announced today.
The event—called Find Your Best Bud, a nod to flowers budding this time of year—will take place Friday, April 17 through Sunday, April 19, as many Massachusetts families prepare for spring break.
“Our last fee-waived adoption event was held the weekend before February school vacation week in Massachusetts,” noted Jamie Garabedian, project manager in the MSPCA-Angell’s Animal Protection Division. “We suspect the success of the event in finding homes for more than 200 animals was related to its timing, and hope to build on this momentum heading into April school vacation.”
“If you’ve been thinking about adding a dog to your family, this could be your sign,” Garabedian exclaimed. “Spring is a great time to adopt, especially during school vacation week—warmer weather makes it easier to get outside and helps jumpstart the bonding process with your new pet. With everyone home, there’s also more time to help the animal settle in and establish a routine.”
Preparing for a Busy Intake Season
Fees will be waived for all dogs, no matter their age.
“By opening the event to all dogs in our care, we hope to find as many homes as possible while making space for others as we prepare for a historically busy intake season,” said Garabedian.
According to Garabedian, animal shelter activity increases significantly heading into the summer months.
“This time of year, we typically see an influx of animals entering our shelters for a variety of reasons, including a spike in local surrenders, stray intake, and animals coming to us through law enforcement activity.”
“Our relocation partners also see a surge of puppies and young dogs entering their shelters. As a result, the size of frequent out-of-state dog transports we receive often increases significantly, placing added strain on capacity and resources,” Garabedian explained.
“We want to be ready to say ‘‘yes’’ to every animal who comes calling, and creating space through adoption is essential to making that possible.”
Find Your Best Bud!
The adoptathon takes place Friday, April 17 through Sunday, April 19 at all four MSPCA-Angell adoption centers (in Boston, Methuen, Salem, and Centerville on Cape Cod), as well as Berkshire Humane Society and Thomas J. O’Connor Animal Control & Adoption Center.
“By including dogs of all ages, we’re optimistic we can connect with a wide range of adopters and kick off what we expect will be another high-volume season on the right foot.”
Open adoption hours vary by location. More information may be found at mspca.org/dogs.
