How to Adopt

View our current list of adoptable animals on our Animal Search Page to see if there is an animal or two who might be a good fit for you.

Our adoption centers have open adoption hours that are listed on the main page for each location. You are welcome to come in during our open hours.

You do not need an appointment or pre-application to come in for any animals except farm animals. 

Our farm animals are available for adoption by appointment only.

Tips for your Search

• Come in during open hours if you see an animal you are interested in adopting!
• Our Northeast Animal Shelter(NEAS) location also allows you to submit an inquiry online prior to visiting the shelter. Submitting an inquiry on an animal is not a hold, reservation, or guarantee on an animal adoption, it just gives NEAS a bit more information on you and allows staff to email you additional information on our adoption process.
• The process for adopting farm animals is a bit different – visit our Farm Animal Adoptions Page for more information!
• We ask that you be in a position to adopt the day you visit with an animal. Our goal with adoption is to find a great match and have the animal stay in care for the least amount of time possible.
• Make sure to read the descriptions to learn more about available animals. We have more information for animals who came to us from a previous home (how they are with kids, other animals, house training, etc.) in comparison to animals who were stray, or came from another shelter.
• In an effort to keep stress at a minimum for the dogs in our care, our dog kennel areas will not be open to walk through. Interested adopters will work with a matchmaker on staff to determine which dog(s) they’re interested in – and if we can identify a match, potential adopters will be able to meet those dogs outside of the kennel. Cat and small animal areas will remain open to visitors.
• If you saw an animal on the website, in a news article, or on social media and it is no longer listed, the animal has either been adopted or we received multiple inquiries and we are no longer accepting additional inquiries.

Don’t See the Type of Animal You Are Interested In?

• Keep checking! Our available animals change quickly.
• We do not have an adoption wait list and are unable to notify you when a particular type of animal becomes available.
• Purebred Animals: We rarely receive purebred cats, and almost never receive purebred kittens or puppies. We very rarely receive hypoallergenic dogs. Most of our dogs are mixed breed.
• Kittens: We receive kittens most often in the warmer months – June through October.
• If you are looking for a kitten or puppy or a specific dog or cat breed, you may want to look into finding a responsible breeder. We have put together a list of things to look for when working with a breeder as well as things to look for when working with a rescue or animal welfare agency for adoption.

Estimated Adoption Fees (and what’s included)

All adoptions include adoption counseling and take home care information in addition to the below. Please note that adoption fees for individual animals may vary depending on the needs of the animals.

Dogs

Adolescent Dogs (under 1 year of age): $595 adoption fee
Adult Dog (1 year – 9 years): $500 adoption fee
Senior Dog (10 years and older): $350 adoption fee

• Spay/Neuter Surgery
• Rabies Vaccine (for dogs 12 weeks and older)
• DHPP (Distemper/Parvo) Vaccine
• Bordetella Vaccination (Kennel Cough)
• Initial General Deworming
• Heartworm Test
• Microchip Implantation & Registration
• Identification Tag
• Flea & Tick Treatment or Preventive
• Initial treatment for Ear Mites as Needed
• Training classes may be included for individual dogs that we believe will benefit from training post adoption.

You can purchase a leash and collar for your adopted dog at the Adoption Center or you can bring one with you.

Cats and Kittens

Kitten (under 1 year): $400 adoption fee
Adult Cat (1 year -9 years old): $250 adoption fee
Senior Cat (10 years and older): $100 adoption fee

• Spay or Neuter Surgery
• FVRCP Vaccine
• Rabies Vaccination (for cats 12 weeks and older)
• Initial General Deworming
• FeLV Test
• Microchip & Registration
• Flea Treatment or Preventive
• Initial treatment for Ear Mites as Needed

You can purchase a cat carrier, collar and ID tag at the Adoption Center or you can bring one with you.

Small Animals and Birds

Rabbits: $85 adoption fee, Pair: $135 adoption fee (includes spay/neuter)
Ferrets: $80 adoption fee (includes Rabies Vaccine)
Chinchillas: $50 adoption fee
Guinea pigs: $30 adoption fee
Mice, Rats, Gerbils, Hamsters, Degus, etc.: $15 adoption fee

Birds & Exotics

Small Birds: $15 adoption fee(Parakeets, Finches, Canaries, Doves, etc)
Medium Sized Birds: $40 adoption fee (Cockatiels, Lovebirds, etc)
Small Parrots: $125 adoption fee (Conures, Quaker Parrots, etc)
Large Parrots: $250 adoption fee (Macaws, Cockatoos, African Greys, etc.)
*Adoption fees will be reduced when adopting pairs or small groups of birds

Click here for Equine and Farm Animals Adoption Fees

Special Note – Please Read: Many housing units sold in pet stores are too small for the specific species behavioral and medical needs. If you looking to purchase housing, visit our web page for recommendations on the best housing for small animals and the best housing for birds. We ask that you have a housing unit purchased before coming in for an adoption appointment.

Animal Supplies: We have most animal supplies available for sale on site. We carry an extensive line of pet food, treats, toys, collars and leashes, pet beds, and crates. Please consider shopping with us for your supplies, as 100% of the proceeds benefits the adoption center.

MSPCA Adoption Philosophy

The MSPCA believes the human-animal bond is important to promote and preserve. We seek to help potential adopters form new bonds that bring the joy and comfort of companionship for both pet and human guardian.

Our adoption program is designed to be welcoming, nonjudgmental, and free of lengthy applications. We strive to engage all prospective adopters in a conversation aimed at matching an adopter’s lifestyle, interests and home environment with an animal’s personality, medical and behavioral needs. Adopting an animal is an extraordinary opportunity to choose your newest family member.  At the MSPCA it is a great privilege for our staff and volunteers to guide that journey for adopters and animals.

As we help to build life-long relationships between adopters and the animals in our care, we also hope to build a life-long relationship between adopters and the MSPCA.  We consider our adopters to be a part of the MSPCA Family; our staff is available to offer guidance and suggestions during the pet’s transition to his or her new home and throughout the pet’s lifetime.