Launched in July 2024, the Massachusetts Animal Shelter Support (MASS) Coalition was formed to provide support for animal shelters in the Commonwealth and help rehome hundreds of pets.

Last September, as part of the MASS Coalition, the MSPCA-Angell expanded its Community Outreach services to Springfield, where an increasing cat population and outbreaks of preventable diseases like parvovirus and panleukopenia were putting animals at risk.

The Outreach team's goal was clear: bring much-needed services to historically excluded neighborhoods, reduce shelter intakes, and increase the reunification of stray pets at the Thomas J. O'Connor Animal Control and Adoption Center (TJO). To achieve this, the Outreach team started running weekly vaccine and microchip clinics, helping hundreds of animals stay healthy and making it easier for lost pets to find their way home.

As staff got to know Springfield and the surrounding community, it became clear that affordable spay/neuter services were in short supply. What began as a plan to refer pet owners to existing programs quickly evolved into hosting clinics at TJO. By April 2025, the Outreach team offered weekly surgeries for both shelter animals and pets in the community, and then added a monthly high-volume clinic with veterinary teams traveling from other MSPCA-Angell locations to boost capacity.

These services have been life-changing for local families. "I was on the verge of surrendering my male cat after he began spraying in the house," said one Springfield pet owner. "I couldn't afford the neuter fee, but thanks to the MSPCA-Angell, we were able to keep him. You saved us from heartbreak."

Thanks to continued donor support, the MSPCA-Angell and its Community Outreach team can continue to offer targeted, affordable veterinary care where it's needed most, helping pets stay with their families and ensuring every community, like Springfield, has access to compassionate services.

Learn more about the Community Outreach program and keeping pets and families together at mspca.org/outreach.