A Sad Day for Animals

The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals announced last week the closing of three adoption centers. The Springfield, Massachusetts center is slated for closing on March 31. The MSPCA states on their website the closings are due to the current economic climate.

It is a sad day for the future of animals in the greater Springfield area as their will not be any shelters with the capacity the MSPCA has had. The Republican newspaper has a good article on the concerns of animal activists with the closing of the area center. The concerns surround what will happen to the animals in the shelter and what people may do with unwanted animals, which is a statistic that usually rises with a worsening economy.

The MSPCA writes on its website:

We will work with local animal rescue organizations and shelters, as well as our remaining four adoption centers, to ensure the placement of the remaining homeless animals in our care at the three closing facilities. We will also do the best we can to find alternatives to our services as well as to provide guidance for people to help animals in those areas that must now be without us.

The closing of the Springfield location leaves a huge strain on other facilities in Western Massachusetts. There is no other facility that can singularly take in the 6000 animals that yearly pass through the Springfield MSPCA. I'm sure they will try, but it will be a daunting task.

Here is a list of area facilities for animals. (Some are no kill shelters, some are breed only, or cat or dog only facilities.):

Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society
Cat Pack Adoptions and Rescues, Inc
Dog Adoption Network
Southwick Animal Shelter (not sure if this is no-kill)