Organization Emphasizes Pet Relocation to Save Ever More Animals from COVID-19 Pandemic’s Economic Fallout
BOSTON and Centerville, Mass., Oct. 28, 2020 – As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak economic havoc across the US and the world, the MSPCA-Angell has committed to finding homes for as many animals as possible by transporting them from areas in which adoption prospects are bleak to Massachusetts, where the demand for pets is soaring.
The MSPCA-Angell’s latest transport—25 cats, ranging in age from nine weeks to four years—comes from the LaGrange Animal Shelter in LaGrange, Georgia, which has been overwhelmed with animals since the start of the pandemic, experiencing a 45 percent year-over-year increase in animal surrenders in 2020.
This is the MSPCA’s third transport of animals from the LaGrange shelter, having brought 46 cats to Massachusetts earlier in October, just weeks after transporting 38 dogs and cats from The Humane Society of St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands, and a further 25 pets from the St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center in New Jersey. All of the pets from these previous transports have since been placed into adoptive homes.
“Our focus [on transporting] allows us to tackle two enormous challenges at the same time by bringing animals from areas in which there are few adopters to the Northeast, where demand for pets far outpaces the supply of adoptable animals,” said Mike Keiley, director of adoption centers and programs at the MSPCA-Angell.
The MSPCA plans even more transports in the weeks and months ahead, with dozens more cats and dogs expected from St. Thomas in mid-November and an as yet unknown number that will be transported from the Broward County Animal Care & Adoption Center in Florida.
“We feel fortunate to be able to assist animals outside our region while continuing to make progress with our plans to protect animals in our own communities,” added Keiley.
Adorable, Social and Ready for New Homes
According to MSPCA-Cape Cod manager Amanda Kruczynski, the newest cats from Georgia are doing well, following a careful settling-in process that she and her teams orchestrated upon their arrival. After completing their state-mandated 48-hour quarantine, the cats will be ready for new homes.
“These cats are young, social and very friendly, and we anticipate they’ll make wonderful pets for individual adopters or families—and we’re thrilled to have been able to offer them shelter up here, where it will take far less time to adopt them out,” she said.
Anyone interested in adopting can contact the MSPCA-Cape Cod directly at capeadoptions@mspca.org.
Support the MSPCA’s Good Work!
In addition to the 109 animals transported to Massachusetts in just the last two months, the MSPCA continues to care for hundreds more, while distributing hundreds of thousands of pet meals to vulnerable families in an effort to stave off further surrenders tied to the pandemic.
“This work has never been more critical because these animals need our help more than ever, and at a time when fundraising remains hugely challenging,” said Keiley.
The organization is calling on anyone who is able to support this work by donating to its Pet Care Assistance program.
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