This following is a list of places and times in Massachusetts where potential pet seekers can adopt animals.* Adoption Events are listed by county and then by town/city. You can click on the name of a county, town, or city in the list below, or you can view the entire list by scrolling down the page. A county map is provided for reference. You can also click on "Upcoming Events" to see a list of all adoption events scheduled in the near future.

Some listings are for permanent adoption sites (e.g. animal shelters, etc.), regularly scheduled or recurring adoption events (e.g., events occurring every Saturday), and other listings are for one-time adoption events or fairs. Each posting is listed with information about whether it is a permanent adoption site or an adoption event.

If an adoption site or event has only a specific type of animal available (e.g. dogs only or cats only), that information is listed as well. If there is no animal information, that adoption site or event might have multiple types of animals available (e.g. dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, reptiles, etc.).

In addition to adoption events, some shelters operate on a "by appointment" basis only. Massachusetts is also home to many rescue groups, which do not have physical facilities, but house animals in foster homes until adoption. For a list of these types of shelters and rescue groups, click here.

Key:
= Only Dogs Available for Adoption
= Only Cats Available for Adoption
= One-Time Adoption Event
= Permanent Adoption Site
= Regularly Scheduled or Recurring Adoption Event

 

(map not clickable- click the list of counties, cities, and towns below)

Upcoming Events

Barnstable County

Bourne      Brewster      Centerville      Falmouth

Berkshire County

Pittsfield

Bristol County

Attleboro      Dartmouth      Fall River      Mansfield

New Bedford      Norton      Raynham      Seekonk     

Swamsea       Taunton

Dukes County

Edgartown      

Essex County

Danvers      Gloucester      Haverhill      Ipswich      

Marblehead      Methuen     Middleton      North Andover

Peabody       Salem     Salisbury

Franklin County

Hampden County

East Longmeadow      Holyoke      Springfield      Westfield

Hampshire County

Leverett      Pelham

Middlesex County

Acton     Arlington      Ashland      Billerica

Burlington     Cambridge      Dracut     Everett      

Framingham      Hopkinton      Lincoln     Littleton      

Lowell      Marlborough      Natick       Newton       

Somerville      Stow      Sudbury      Tewksbury     

Wakefield      Wayland     Waltham      Woburn

Nantucket County

Nantucket

Norfolk and Suffolk Counties

Boston      Braintree      Brighton      Canton      

Dedham      East Weymouth      Holbrook      Medfield

Medway      Milton      Needham      Norwood      

Plainville      Quincy     Revere      Roslindale      

Plymouth County

Brockton      East Wareham     Hanover     Hull      

Kingston     Lakeville   Marshfield     Plymouth      

Scituate

Worcester County

Athol      Auburn      Douglas     East Brookfield

Harvard      Lancaster     Leominster      Milbury      

Milford      Shrewsbury      Sterling      Westborough        

Worcester

 

---

Upcoming Events (listed through June 30)

Saturday, May 17

Forgotten Angels Shelter, Inc.
PetCo, Waltham
11:00am-3:00pm

Friends of Attleboro Animal Shelter
Bob's Discount Furniture, Bristol Place Shopping Center, South Attleboro
11:00am-2:00pm

Greyhound Welfare Inc New England Chapter
Petsmart, 250 Grossman Drive, Braintree
11:00am-1:00pm

House Rabbit Connection
Starbucks, 376 Cambridge Road, Woburn
9:00am-1:00pm

Pets in Need
First Congregational Church, Pelham
11:00am-2:00pm

Save a Dog
Especially for pets, 81 Union Ave, Sudbury
11:00am-1:00pm

Sunday, May 18

Forgotten Angels Shelter, Inc.
PetCo, Waltham
11:00am-2:00pm

Pets in Need
PetCo, 103 Commerce Way, Woburn
11:00am-1:00pm

Saturday, May 24

Greyhound Friends, Inc.
Petco, Route 9, Shrewsbury
1:00pm-4:00pm

Sunday, May 25

Greyhound Friends, Inc.
Petco, Route 9, Shrewsbury
11:00am-3:00pm

Sunday, June 1

Greyhound Friends, Inc.
Petco, Route 9, Shrewsbury
11:00am-3:00pm

Greyhound Rescue of New England Inc
PetCo, Norwood
11:00am-1:00pm

Greyhound Welfare Inc New England Chapter Boston Dog, 70 Beacon St, Somerville
12:00pm-2:00pm

Pets in Need
PetCo, 103 Commerce Way, Woburn
11:00am-1:00pm

Saturday, June 7

German Shepard Rescue of New England
Petco, Waltham
11:00am-4:00pm

Greyhound Friends, Inc.
Petco, Route 9, Shrewsbury
1:00pm-4:00pm

Poodle Rescue New England
PetCo, Waltham

Sunday, June 8

Massachusetts Ferret Friends
PetCo, Plymouth
1:00pm-4:00pm

Saturday, June 14

Greyhound Friends, Inc.
Petco, 438 Southbridge St., Auburn
11:00am-3:00pm

Forever Home Rescue New England
Heritage Hill Veterinary Clinic, 57 Farm Road, Medfield
9:00am-12:00pm

North East Rottweiler Rescue
PetSmart, 250 Grossman Drive, Braintree
11:00am-3:00pm

Sunday, June 15

Greyhound Rescue of New England Inc
PetCo, Norwood
11:00am-1:00pm

Saturday, June 21

Greyhound Friends, Inc.
Petco, Route 9, Shrewsbury
1:00pm-4:00pm

Sunday, June 29

Greyhound Friends, Inc.
Petco, Route 9, Shrewsbury
11:00am-3:00pm

Greyhound Friends, Inc.
Petco, Burlington
1:00pm-3:00pm

Pets in Need
PetCo, 103 Commerce Way, Woburn
11:00am-1:00pm

---

Barnstable County

Bourne

None Currently Scheduled

Brewster

Animal Rescue League of Boston
  Tuesday-Saturday 10:00am-4:00pm

Centerville

MSPCA Cape Cod Animal Care and Adoption Center
  Tuesday-Saturday 11:00am-4:00pm
  Sunday 12:00pm-3:00pm

Falmouth

Friends of Falmouth Dogs
  Sunday 1:00-3:00pm
  Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, 10:00am-12:00pm
  Monday, Thursday, 10:00am-12:00pm, 4:00pm-6:00pm

People for Cats
  Wednesday 4:00pm-6:00pm
  Saturday 10:00am-1:00pm 

---

Berkshire County

Pittsfield

Berkshire Humane Society
  Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 10:00am-4:00pm
  Thursday 10:00am-4:00pm, 5:00pm-8:00pm 
  Sunday 1:00pm-4:00pm

Eleanor Sonsini Animal Shelter
  Tuesday-Sunday 10:00am-2:00pm
  Thursday 10:00am-2:00pm, 5:00pm-8:00pm 

---

Bristol County

Attleboro

Attleboro Friends of Cats, Inc.
  PetCo South Attleboro
  First and Third Saturday of Every Month, 12:00pm-3:00pm

Friends of Attleboro Animal Shelter
  Bob's Discount Furniture, Bristol Place Shopping Center, South Attleboro
  Saturday, May 17, 11:00am-2:00pm

Friends of Attleboro Animal Shelter
  Wednesday 6:00pm-8:00pm
  Saturday 10:00am-3:00pm
  Sunday 11:00am-1:00pm

North Attleborough Animal Shelter
  Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 10:00am-3:00pm
  Wednesday 5:00pm-7:00pm
  Saturday, Sunday 11:00am-3:00pm
  (shelter may close if an emergency arises)

Dartmouth

Humane Society and Shelter- SouthCoast
  Monday-Saturday 12:00pm-5:00pm

Fall River

Forever Paws
  Monday-Tuesday, Thursday-Sunday 11:00am-4:00pm

Mansfield

Mansfield Animal Shelter
  Monday-Friday 5:30pm-7:30pm
  Saturday 9:00am-12:00pm, 4:30pm-6:30pm
  Sunday 9:00am-12:00pm

New Bedford

Habitat for Cats
  Second Sunday of Every Month
  1322 Ashley Blvd

Norton

Nine Lives of Norton Feline Rescue Shelter
  Saturdays 11:00am-4:00pm

Norton Animal Shelter
  Monday-Friday 3:00pm-5:00pm

Raynham

None Currently Scheduled

Seekonk

Seekonk Animal Shelter
  Tuesday-Friday 3:00pm-5:00pm
  Saturday, Sunday 2:00pm-4:00pm

Swansea

Town of Swansea- Ernest W. Bell Animal Shelter
  Monday-Friday 9:00am-4:00pm

Taunton

Taunton Animal Shelter
  Tuesday-Friday 12:00pm-5:00pm
  Saturday 12:00pm-4:00pm

---

Dukes County

Edgartown

MSCPA Martha's Vineyard Animal Care and Adoption Center
  Tuesday-Saturday 10:00am-4:00pm

---

Essex County

Danvers

Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society
  PETsMART Adoption Center  
  Tuesday-Friday 1:00pm-6:00pm
  Saturday 11:00am-4:00pm
  Sunday 1:00pm-3:00pm  

Gloucester

Cape Ann Animal Aid
  Wednesday, Saturday 11:00am-4:00pm
  Thursday 11:00am-7:00pm  
  Friday, 11:00am-6:00pm    
  Saturday 11:00am-4:00pm  
  Sunday 12:00pm-4:00pm

Haverhill

None Currently Scheduled

Ipswich

Ipswich Humane Group
  Sunday 2:00pm-4:00pm
  or by appointment  

Marblehead

Friends of Marblehead's Abandon Animals
  Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 4:00pm-6:00pm
  Saturday, Sunday 12:00pm-3:00pm

Methuen

MSPCA at Nevins Farm
  Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 11:00am-4:00pm
  Thursday 12:00pm-7:00pm
  Saturday, Sunday 12:00pm-4:00pm    

Middleton

North Shore Feline Rescue
  Saturday and Sundays, 11:00am-3:00pm
  Petco in Peabody, Petco in Topsfield, Petco in North Andover- call Friday to confirm which location will be used for any particular weekend

North Andover

None Currently Scheduled

Peabody

None Currently Scheduled

Salem

Northeast Animal Shelter
  Monday-Friday 9:00am-9:00pm
  Saturday, Sunday 9:00am-6:00pm

Peabody Animal Life Savers
  Saturday and Sunday 10:00am-3:00pm

Salisbury

Merrimack River Feline Rescue Society
  Tuesday, Thursday 2:00pm-8:00pm
  Wednesday, Friday 2:00pm-6:00pm
  Saturday 11:00am-4:00pm    

---

Franklin County

None Currently Scheduled

---

Hampden County

East Longmeadow

Greyhound Options, Inc.
  A.W. Brown Pet Center, 144 Shaker Road, East Longmeadow
  Fourth Saturday of Every Month, 11:00am-1:00pm

Holyoke

Cat Pack Adoptions and Rescue, Inc.
  Petco, 45 Holyoke Street, Holyoke
  First Saturday of Every Month, 11:00am-1:00pm

Springfield

Central Rescue and Rehabilitation
  Petco, Boston Road, Springfield
  First Saturday of Every Month, 10:00am-1:00pm

Greyhound Options, Inc.
  Pet Supplies "Plus," 175 Memorial Ave, West Springfield
  First Saturday of Every Month, 11:00am-1:00pm

MSPCA Animal Care and Adoption Center- Western New England
  Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 12:30am-4:30pm
  Thursday 12:00pm-7:00pm
  Saturday and Sunday 11:00am-4:00pm

Thomas J. O'connor Animal Control and Adoption Center
  Monday-Friday 12:00pm-4:30pm
  Saturdays 12:00pm-4:00pm

Westfield

Westfield Animal Control
  Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:00pm

Westfield Homeless Cat Project
  Saturday 11:00am-3:00pm

---

Hampshire County

Leverett

Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society, Leverett Location
  Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, 12:00pm-5:30pm (except third Tuesday of month)
  Thursday 12:00pm-7:30pm
  Saturday, Sunday11:00am-4:30pm

Pelham

Pets in Need
  First Congregational Church, Pelham
  Saturday, May 17, 11:00am-2:00pm

---

Middlesex County

Acton

None Currently Scheduled

Arlington

None Currently Scheduled

Ashland

MetroWest Humane Society
  Sunday 1:00pm-4:00pm
  Wednesday, Thursday 6:30pm-8:00pm

Billerica

None Currently Scheduled

Burlington

Billerica Cat Care Coalition
  Petco, Burlington
  Sunday, June 29, 11:00am-2:00pm

Cambridge

None Currently Scheduled

Dracut

Dracut Animal Control
  Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:00pm

Everett

None Currently Scheduled

Framingham

None Currently Scheduled

Hopkinton

Baypath Humane Society of Hopkinton Inc.
  Monday-Friday 12:00pm-4:30pm
  Saturday, Sunday 11:00am-5:00pm

Greyhound Friends, Inc.
  Monday-Sunday 9:00am-5:00pm

Lincoln

None Currently Scheduled

Littleton

Forgotten Angels Shelter, Inc.
  PetCo, Waltham
  Saturday, May 17, 11:00am-3:00pm
  Sunday, May 18, 11:00am-2:00pm

Lowell

Lowell Humane Society
  Wednesday, Thursday 1:00pm-7:00pm
  Saturday, Sunday 12:00pm-4:00pm

Marlborough

Metrowest Animal Awareness Society
  Pet Source, Rt. 20, Marlborough
  Second Saturday of Every Month, 11:00am-2:00pm

Natick

Stray Pets in Need (SPIN)
  Pet Word, Rt. 9 Natick
  Tuesday-Sunday 12:00pm-4:00pm

Newton

None Currently Scheduled

Somerville

Greyhound Welfare Inc New England Chapter
  Boston Dog, 70 Beacon St, Somerville
  Sunday, June 1, 12:00pm-2:00pm

Saint Meows
  First Congregational Church, Davis Square
  Every Thursday, 6:00pm-8:00pm

Stow

Metrowest Animal Awareness Society
  Pet Source, 117 Great Road, Stow
  Fourth Saturday of Every Month, 11:00am-2:00pm
  May Exception: Saturday, May 31, 11:00am-2:00pm

Sudbury

Buddy Dog Humane Society
  Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday 12:00pm-5:00pm
  Tuesday, Thursday 12:00pm-8:00pm

Save a Dog
  Especially for pets, 81 Union Ave, Sudbury
  Saturday, May 17, 11:00am-1:00pm

Tewksbury

None Currently Scheduled

Wakefield

Protection of Animals in Wakefield Society (PAWS)
  Wakefield Animal Hospital
  Second and Fourth Saturday of Every Month, 10:00am-1:00pm

Waltham

German Shepard Rescue of New England
  Petco, Waltham
  Saturday, June 7, 11:00am-4:00pm

Poodle Rescue New England
  PetCo, Waltham
  Saturday, June 7

Wayland

None Currently Scheduled

Woburn

House Rabbit Connection
  Starbucks, 376 Cambridge Road, Woburn
  Saturday, May 17, 9:00am-1:00pm

Pets in Need
  PetCo, 103 Commerce Way, Woburn
  Sunday, May 18, 11:00am-1:00pm
  Sunday, June 1, 11:00am-1:00pm
  Sunday, June 29, 11:00am-1:00pm

Protection of Animals in Wakefield Society (PAWS)
  PetCo Woburn
  First and Third Saturday of Every Month

---

Nantucket County

Nantucket

MSCPA Adoption Center- Nantucket
  Tuesday-Saturday 11:00am-4:00pm

---

Norfolk and Suffolk Counties

Boston

Animal Rescue League of Boston
  Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 1:00pm-7:00pm
  Friday, Saturday, Sunday 1:00pm-4:00pm

City of Boston Animal Shelter
  Tuesday-Saturday 10:30am-3:30pm
  Wednesday 10:30am-7:00pm

MSPCA Boston Animal Care and Adoption Center
  Tuesday, Thursday 2:00pm-7:00pm
  Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday 1:00pm-5:00pm

Braintree

Greyhound Welfare Inc New England Chapter
  Petsmart, 250 Grossman Drive, Braintree
  Saturday, May 17, 11:00am-1:00pm

North East Rottweiler Rescue
  Petsmart, 250 Grossman Drive, Braintree     
  Saturday, June 14, 11:00am-3:00pm

Brighton

None Currently Scheduled

Canton

Town of Canton Animal Control
  Monday-Friday 9:00am-3:30pm (call first)

Dedham

Animal Rescue League of Dedham
  Tuesday-Friday 12:00pm-7:00pm
  Saturday 10:00am-6:00pm
  Sunday 12:00pm-6:00pm

East Weymouth

None Currently Scheduled

Holbrook

None Currently Scheduled

Medfield

Forever Home Rescue New England
  Heritage Hill Veterinary Clinic, 57 Farm Road, Medfield
  Saturday, June 14, 9:00am-12:00pm

Medway

None Currently Scheduled

Milton

Milton Animal League
  Monday-Friday 1:00pm-5:00pm
  Saturday 10:00am-4:00pm

Needham

None Currently Scheduled

Norwood

Greyhound Rescue of New England Inc
  PetCo, Norwood
  Sunday, June 1, 11:00am-1:00pm
  Sunday, June 15, 11:00am-1:00pm

Plainville

None Currently Scheduled

Quincy

Quincy Animal Shelter
  Tuesday, Thursday 6:00pm-8:00pm
  Saturday 10:00am-4:00pm

Revere

Animal Umbrella
  Saturday 3:00pm-5:00pm

Roslindale

None Currently Scheduled

---

Plymouth County

Brockton

Brockton Blue Dog Shelter
  Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday 10:00am-4:00pm
  Wednesday 11:00am-7:00pm
  Saturday 8:00am-3:00pm

Brockton Animal Control Department
  Monday-Friday 7:00am-11:00pm
  Saturday, Sunday 7:00am-3:00pm

MSPCA Metro South Animal Care and Adoption Center
  Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 11:00am-4:00pm
  Tuesday, Thursday 2:00pm-7:00pm
  Sunday 1:00pm-4:00pm

East Wareham

A Helping Paw Inc.
  Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday 10:00am-5:00pm
  Wednesday 12:00pm-7:00pm

A Helping Paw Inc.
  Petco, 2421 Cranberry Highway, Wareham
  First Saturday of Every Month, 10:00am-2:00pm

Hanover

None Currently Scheduled

Hull

Hull Seaside Animal Rescue
  Monday 6:00pm-7:30pmm

Kingston

Town of Kingston Animal Control Department
  Saturday 9:00am-12:00pm

Lakeville

Lakeville Animal Shelter
  Wednesday 6:30- 7:30pmm
  Saturday 11:00am-1:00pm
 

Marshfield

Town of Marshfield Animal Shelter
  Monday-Saturday 8:00am-9:00am, 3:00pm-4:00pm

Plymouth

Massachusetts Ferret Friends
  PetCo, Plymouth
  Sunday, June 8, 1:00pm-4:00pm

Nemasket Orphaned Animal Haven, Inc. (NOAH)
  PetSmart at the Shops at 5, Plymouth
  Saturday, May 17, 10:00am-2:30pm

Plymouth Humane Society/Plymouth Animal Shelter
  Monday-Thursday 10:00am-12:00pm
  Friday 10:00am-11:00am

Scituate

Friends of the Scituate Shelter
  Wednesday-Friday 3:00pm-5:00pm
  Saturday 10:00am-3:00pm

---

Worcester County

Athol

Athol Animal Control
  Monday-Thursday 6:00-8:00pm
  Saturday 8:00-11:00am

Auburn

Greyhound Friends, Inc.
  Petco, 438 Southbridge St., Auburn
  Saturday, June 14, 11:00am-3:00pm

Second Chance Animal Shelter
  Petco, Route 12, Auburn
  Second Sunday of Every Month, 12:00pm-2:00pm

Douglas

Dog Orphans Inc.
  Monday-Saturday 10:00am-4:00pm
  Sunday 10:00am-3:00pm

East Brookfield

Second Chance Animal Shelter
  Wednesday 6:00-8:00pm (cats only)
  Thursday 6:00pm-8:00pm (dogs only)
  Saturday 1:00pm-4:00pm

Harvard

None Currently Scheduled

Lancaster

Volunteer Humane Society
  Thursdays 4:00pm-6:00pm
  Saturdays and Sundays 1:00pm-3:00pm

Leominster

None Currently Scheduled

Milbury

People for Animals League
 PetSmart, 70 Worcester Providence Turnpike, Ste. 240, Milbury
  First and Third Saturday of Every Month, 11:00am-4:00pm

Milford

Milford Humane Society
  Monday and Thursday 7:00pm-9:00pm
  Sunday 1:00pm-4:00pm

Shrewsbury

Greyhound Friends, Inc.
  Petco, Route 9, Shrewsbury
  Saturday, May 24, 1:00pm-4:00pm
  Sunday, May 25, 11:00am-3:00pm
  Sunday, June 1, 11:00am-3:00pm
  Saturday, June 7, 1:00pm-4:00pm
  Saturday, June 21, 1:00pm-4:00pm
  Sunday, June 29, 11:00am-3:00pm

Sterling

Animal Shelter Inc.
  Tuesday-Friday 11:00am-5:45pm
  Saturday 10:00am-3:45pm

Westborough

None Currently Scheduled

Worcester

Worcester Animal Rescue League
  Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 10:00am-4:00pm
  Thursday 10:00am-7:00pm

---

To list your adoption event on this site, or correct any information, contact The Adoption Event Coordinator .

Last Updated: Tuesday, May 13, 2008

* = All information should be confirmed with individual animal welfare groups before attending any adoption event. Massachusetts Animal Coalition is not responsible for out-of-date or incorrect information.