MSPCA-Angell and Northeast Animal Shelter Ready the New Arrivals for Homes, Double Down on Post-COVID Adoption Protocols
BOSTON, June 16, 2021 – To the delight of adopters across Massachusetts, 60 newly arrived kittens are resting at the Northeast Animal Shelter’s Salem, Mass. location and the MSPCA-Cape Cod in Centerville after they arrived yesterday via air from Tennessee, where they were in the care of the McKamey Animal Center in Chattanooga.
The kittens—described as “adorable and friendly” by adoption center staff helping to relocate them to Massachusetts—are all about eight weeks old and healthy, and should be ready for adoption on June 18, after their mandatory 48-hour quarantine period has expired.
Twenty eight of the kittens will remain at NEAS and 32 will be made available for adoption from the MSPCA-Cape Cod.
Post-COVID Adoption Protocols
In anticipation of the post-pandemic future, the MSPCA and Northeast Animal Shelter have made permanent the innovations established during the lockdowns which, many months later, have proven more effective at matching animals with adopters who want them while reducing crowding in the adoption centers.
“Our appointment-based adoption strategy has replicated the magic of coming into the shelter to meet adoptable animals without fully opening to walk-through traffic that too often doesn’t result in animals going home, said Mike Keiley, director of adoption centers and programs at the MSPCA-Angell and interim executive director of NEAS.
Anyone interested in adopting one of the Tennessee cats can contact NEAS to schedule an appointment here, and reach the MSPCA’s adoption center here.
“We anticipate that these cats will go quickly as interest in adoption remains historically high, and these are young and really friendly cats,” said Keiley.
Relocation on the Rise
According to Keiley, efforts to relocate pets to Massachusetts have assumed greater urgency with the pandemic winding down but interest in adoption at an all-time high, underscoring just how critical the affiliation between the MSPCA and NEAS has become.
“What we saw in the last year was a significant reduction in pet surrender and animal control services, combined with temporary closures of shelters due to the risk of COVID-19 to shelter staffers,” said Keiley.
“This reality, combined with a reduction in spay and neuter services in some areas, produced a sharp rise in animal populations across large swaths of the U.S.—and now many shelters need to relocate animals to the Northeast to make more space for new arrivals,” added Keiley.
Keiley said that both the MSPCA and NEAS are in the process of building back their volunteer, staff and foster home networks in anticipation of even more pets needing relocation to the Northeast.
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