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Keeping Pets Safe This July 4th

Why Fireworks and Furry Friends Don’t Mix

Fireworks and July 4th go hand-in-hand; however, they can cause stress and anxiety in our pets.

Many dogs already struggle during thunderstorms, and while both storms and fireworks are loud, there’s a key difference:
Dogs can sense an approaching storm through changes in barometric pressure. Fireworks, on the other hand, are sudden, unpredictable, and startling.

“When storms happen, the barometric pressure will tell them that it’s coming; not with fireworks—and it’s so detrimental,” says Laney Nee, ARL’s Shelter Behavior and Enrichment Manager.

Fireworks can lead to anxiety and long-term behavioral issues in pets. Common signs of distress include:

  • Shaking or trembling
  • Drooling
  • Barking or howling
  • Pacing or restlessness
  • Hiding or trying to escape
  • Loss of bladder or bowel control

“Dogs only communicate through their voices, mouths, paws, and body language,” Nee explains. “When they’re exhibiting signs of fear and we interact with them, there’s a risk they could redirect that fear into aggressive behavior.”

The loud blasts and flashing lights can also cause pets to panic and run off. Shelters across the country often see a spike in lost pet reports around July 4th.

How to Keep Your Pet Safe

Here are some ways to protect your furry friends this holiday:

  1. ID First: Make sure your pet is wearing a collar with up-to-date ID tags. If they’re microchipped, confirm your contact info is current—just in case they get lost.
  2. Create a Safe Space: Set them up in a quiet room with their favorite toys. Turn on a TV, soft music, or a white noise machine to help mask outside noises.
  3. Reduce Light Exposure: If your pet is sensitive to the bright flashes, place them in a room without windows. Keep in mind: frightened animals may bolt when a door opens, so take precautions.
  4. Consult Your Vet: If your pet suffers from extreme anxiety, talk to your veterinarian about possible medications or calming supplements.

ARL’s FREE Pet Behavior Helpline

ARL’s Pet Behavior Helpline is a FREE service, and can answer basic behavioral questions about your pet, such as excessive barking, crate training, house soiling, or if you are looking for ways to stave off your pet’s boredom.

If you have questions, please call the Pet Behavior Helpline at (617) 226-5666 or via email behaviorhelpline@arlboston.org, and an ARL representative will get back to you within 48 hours.

Good Samaritan and Social Media Post Helps Reunite Lost Cat with Family

ARL offers tips should a pet become lost or missing

A lost cat who was missing for three weeks is back home safe and sound thanks to a Good Samaritan, social media, and the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL)

Mary, a 13-year-old cat, had never been outdoors, so when she snuck out of her Lowell home, her owner was instantly worried and turned to Facebook to report the missing animal.

Mary reunites with her owner!

About two weeks later, a resident was driving along Chelmsford Road near Route 3 in Lowell, and spotted the cat.

Concerned for her safety, the Good Samaritan pulled over, approached the cat, and took her in.

Mary was not wearing a collar, but was well-groomed and friendly, indicating she was likely an owned cat.

The finder contacted ARL and brought her to the organization’s Boston Animal Care & Adoption Center.

The cat was healthy, and settled in quickly, but meanwhile, a Facebook about the lost cat was spotted by her owner, who immediately reached out to ARL.

Soon after, Mary’s owner arrived at ARL and was reunited with her beloved pet!

When a Pet Goes Missing

An open door, a thunderstorm, slipping out of a collar or harness – situations happen where an animal becomes lost, and when that happens it’s important not to panic and to take steps to increase the likelihood of being reunited.

Take immediate action by following these 5 steps to increase the likelihood of a happy reunion with your pet: 

  • Call the local Animal Control Officer of the town where you live, and of the town that your pet went missing in. List of Massachusetts Animal Control Officers.
  • File a lost report with ARL either in person, over the phone at (617) 426-9170, or online. This lost report is seen by all three ARL locations. The staff will ask you to provide a photo of your pet.
  • Contact your pet’s microchip company if your pet has one, to notify them that your pet is lost. Be sure to confirm that your contact information is current.
  • File a lost report with every shelter within a 60-mile radius of where your pet went missing. Oftentimes, concerned citizens will pick up a stray pet they see on the side of the road and bring it to a shelter that is close to their destination instead of close to where they found the animal. Visit the shelters closest to you as often as possible to check for new incoming lost pets.
  • Don’t give up! Many pets go missing for months before being reunited with their owners. You will have the best chance of finding your missing pet if you utilize all of the provided tips and continue to search for them as long as you can.

Additionally, as Mary’s story showed, social media can be a powerful tool when a pet is missing.

There are many community lost pet social media pages and should your pet go missing, not only can you post to inform your neighbors about your pet, but you can also be notified if someone finds your pet as well.

More helpful lost pet tips.

Summer Pet Safety Goes Beyond Tick Bites

Tips to Protect Your Pet From Hidden Summer Dangers

For pet owners, ticks and tick-borne illnesses naturally become a concern when the weather warms up.
However, bites and stings from other insects can impact the comfort and overall health of pets.

Ants, mosquitoes, spiders, bees, among others, can cause a myriad of impacts on our pets – from minor skin irritation to life-threatening allergic reactions.

Summer insect concerns go beyond ticks.

As with ticks, it’s important to check our pets when returning from the outdoors.

If your pet has been bitten or stung, here are some non-emergent remedies to try at home:

  1. You want to remove the stinger, or the head of the insect if it remains embedded. Use sterilized tweezers to ensure foreign debris is removed in its entirety.
  2. Applying ice to a sting or bite reduces swelling and pain.
  3. Antihistamines and steroids can be administered to help reduce swelling and pain, however, always consult with your regular veterinarian before giving any medications to your pet.
  4. While improvement after a sting or bite can be expected after a few days, it’s important to monitor the injury site should the injury worsen. You also want to make sure your pet isn’t licking or chewing on the affected area, as this could put the animal at risk for infection.

The vast majority of dogs will recover quickly from a sting or insect bite; however, just like people, some dogs can be prone to severe allergic reactions.

Should your pet display the following symptoms, seek veterinary care immediately:

  • Swollen face or muzzle
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Vomiting
  • Lethargy
  • Persistent swelling or redness at the injury site

Keep your pets healthy and safe this summer with these summer safety tips.

ARL Awarded Grant from “I’m Animal Friendly” License Plate Funds

Grant provides subsidized spay/neuter surgery for more than two dozen pet owners

The Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) is happy to announce the organization is a recipient of a 2025 grant from the MA “I’m Animal Friendly” license plate program.

Funds will be used towards ARL’s community-based programs to provide subsidized spay/neuter services for more than two dozen pet owners in Boston.

This month ARL’s Spay Waggin’® held two spay/neuter clinics, one at the Franklin Park Zoo, the other at a private business in Mattapan, to provide the service for local pet owners.

Clients included one pet owner who is a client of ARL’s Wellness Waggin’ and was recently reunited with their cat after the animal had snuck out.

ARL’s Spay Waggin’ is a mobile veterinary surgical vehicle that provides low-cost spay and neuter services in Greater Boston, Southeastern Massachusetts, and Cape Cod.

The Wellness Waggin’ brings low-cost pet wellness care directly into Boston communities that need it most including Dorchester, Roxbury, Mattapan, Hyde Park, and East Boston.

“Pets are family, and the Animal Rescue League of Boston continues to be grateful to the Massachusetts Animal Coalition and their commitment to provide grants to help provide spay/neuter services for pet owners in need,” stated ARL President and CEO Dr. Edward Schettino. “Through this grant, ARL has been able to help more than two dozen pet owners, and ensure that their animals are happy, healthy and will continue to thrive.”

Anne Lindsay, founder and president of the Massachusetts Animal Coalition, says, “An important way to decrease the population of unwanted pets is to spay and neuter any animal we can get our hands on.  For the past 20 years, the ‘I’m Animal Friendly’ License Plate Program has supported these efforts by providing funding for these necessary surgeries.”

The “I’m Animal Friendly” license plates are a program of the Massachusetts Animal Coalition.

Funds are granted annually to organizations that demonstrate a need for funding and provide low-cost spay/neuter services.

Since the program’s inception, MAC has awarded over $3,300,000 to many deserving organizations.

ARL Hosts Community Rabies Vaccine Clinics

Rabies vaccine state-mandated for all dogs, cats, and ferrets

The Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) recently held its annual rabies clinics at its Boston, Dedham, and Brewster Animal Care and Adoption Centers, vaccinating more than 200 pets.

In Massachusetts, all dogs and cats over six-months-old, as well as ferrets, must be vaccinated against rabies, and these clinics are an important piece to ensuring pet owners have access to free or low-cost vaccination options for their pets.

The clinics offered free rabies vaccinations for residents of Boston, Dedham, and Brewster, and just $10 for non-residents – a substantial savings compared to having a pet vaccinated in a typical veterinarian office setting.

Additionally, microchips for pets were also offered for $10.

Across the three separate events, more than 200 pets were vaccinated, and ARL is thrilled to be able to annually offer this vital service for pet owners in the communities ARL calls home.

“ARL has been a part of the Boston, Dedham, and Cape Cod communities for well over 100 years, and we are proud to be able to offer free or low-cost services to local pet owners whenever possible,” stated ARL President and CEO Dr. Edward Schettino.

ARL Rescues Community Cat Living Under Shipping Container in Charlestown Construction Site

ARL offering $20,000 donation match for Community Cat Program

This past week the Animal Rescue League of Boston’s (ARL) Field Services Department rescued an eight-week-old community kitten who was living under a shipping container at a construction site in Charlestown.

ARL’s Community Cat Program focuses on this particularly vulnerable group of animals in Massachusetts.

Community cats are feral, stray and abandoned cats who live outdoors in harsh elements.

ARL has seen a dramatic rise in the number of community cats who need help in recent years and is offering a $20,000 donation match challenge to allow the organization to help even more community cats and kittens.

A resident at an apartment building overlooking the construction site at 75 Alford Avenue (Ryan Playground) in Charlestown contacted ARL’s Field Services Department after witnessing the kitten coming in and out from underneath a shipping container placed on the site.

With the help of Boston’s Park and Recreation Department, ARL was able to gain access to the site and began the trapping process.

It took two days, and in the end the kitten overcame her fear and gave in to her hunger. She emerged from underneath the shipping container and into an awaiting humane cat trap.

The kitten, now named Ally, was transported to ARL’s Boston Animal Care & Adoption Center to undergo veterinary care.

The kitten is in excellent health, is undersocialized but friendly, and she will likely be made available for adoption in the coming weeks.

Community Cat Program Match

With an estimated 700,000 community cats in Massachusetts, 70,000 in Boston alone, these animals live in harsh conditions and without proper care are at-risk for illness and injury.

ARL’s Community Cat Program was launched in 2017 and is the only large animal welfare organization in Massachusetts with a dedicated agent working exclusively with community cats and kittens.

In 2024 the program saw a record number of community cats, nearly 2,000, and the organization has found loving homes for more than 2,700 community cats and kittens over the past five years.

After identifying a community cat colony, ARL formulates a Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) plan, to evaluate, vaccinate and spay/neuter cats from the colony.

TNR is one of the most humane and effective ways to stop the cycle of homelessness among cats. Cats that are truly feral are returned to the colony, while those suitable as pets are adopted into homes.

ARL receives no government grants or funding and relies solely on the generosity of individuals to ensure these vulnerable animals receive the care they need and deserve.

Through June 30, any donation towards ARL’s Community Cat Program will be matched, dollar-for-dollar to help twice as many community cats in need.

Those interested can visit https://www.arlboston.org/services/community-cat-services/ to help ARL continue this important work.

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ARL Caring for 8-Week-Old Community Kitten Found in Car Engine Compartment

ARL reminds the public to be aware of community cats and kittens

The Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) is currently caring for an eight-week-old kitten that found itself in a precarious position and was discovered in the engine compartment of a vehicle in Belmont, MA.

Fortunately, the kitten was not injured in its hiding place and is now ready to find his new home.

ARL wishes to remind the public that community cats seeking shelter inside the engine compartment of a vehicle is not uncommon, and to take some extra precautions before entering your vehicle, particularly if there are community cats around your property or neighborhood.

The kitten, now aptly named Chevy, was reported to Belmont Animal Control when the kitten was heard mewing in the vehicle owner’s driveway.

The Good Samaritan popped the hood to investigate, and seeing daylight, the frightened kitten scampered from engine compartment and found an old fox den to hide in.

Once on-scene, the Belmont Animal Control Officer used a YouTube video of a kitten mewing to lure Chevy out, and was able to safely handle him and place him in a carrier for transport.

The community kitten was brought to ARL’s Dedham Animal Care & Adoption Center where he received a veterinary exam and a quiet place to decompress from his ordeal.

The kitten was deemed healthy and also lucky, as he was uninjured while hiding in the engine compartment.

 While under two pounds upon intake, the kitten quickly gained a little weight, has been neutered and vaccinated and is available for adoption at ARL’s Boston Animal Care & Adoption Center, which is open to the public from 1-6 p.m.

Chevy’s adventure is the third instance of a cat finding refuge in the engine compartment in less than a year for ARL.

It’s also important to note that each instance did not happen during winter months, when it’s more common to see this activity.

ARL reminds the public, particularly in areas where community reside, to conduct a visual check of their vehicle and to bang on the hood before entering to scare off any animal that may be seeking shelter under the hood.

ARL is the only local large animal welfare organization with a dedicated community cat program. Learn more about ARL’s efforts to help these vulnerable animals.

ARL Rescues Mom and Five Kittens Before Nor’easter Strikes

Vulnerable cats spotted at Roxbury Preschool day before Nor’easter

A three-year-old female community cat and her five, four-week-old, kittens are resting comfortably today after being rescued by the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) on the eve of a spring Nor’easter.

A custodian at the Haynes Early Education Center in Roxbury contacted ARL’s Field Services Department on Wednesday afternoon with concern after spotting the mom and her kittens on school grounds.

ARL responded and were quickly able to safely corral the kittens and mom and get them ready to travel.

The animals were brought to ARL’s Boston Animal Care & Adoption Center and were provided the care and medical attention needed to allow them to thrive.

The mom and kittens are doing well, but due to a lack of safe shelter on the school grounds, the animals, kittens in particular, were vulnerable due to the Nor’easter moving into the area today.

Due to their young age, the family will be placed into foster care and will not be available for adoption for at least a month.

ARL is the only large animal welfare organization in Massachusetts with a dedicated agent working with community cats, and with temperatures beginning to warm, ARL is beginning to see an influx of kittens, which will continue throughout the summer months and likely into the fall.

In 2024 ARL’s Community Cat Program helped nearly 2,000 community cats, a record since the program’s inception in 2017.

While community cats are incredibly adept at finding safe shelter and food sources, kittens are vulnerable to a multitude of things including the elements, illness and predators.

If you spot community cats and kittens, you are encouraged to contact ARL’s Field Services Department at (617) 426-9170 x563 for assistance.

How You Can Help

Caring for young kittens like them requires significant resources.

To help support them on their journey, please consider donating.

Your donation will help make sure these kittens, and other animals like them, get everything they need in order to be adopted into loving homes, including time, medical treatment, and expert care. 

Dog Seeking New Home After Being Surrendered Due to Medical Cost

Rising cost of pet wellness care is an ongoing issue for pet owners

The Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) is looking for a loving family to take in a nine-year-old mixed-breed dog recently surrendered due to medical costs.

Pebbles was surrendered to ARL due to medical cost.

This type of surrender is becoming more commonplace, as according to a recent report compiled by PetSmart Charities and Gallup, seven out of 10 pet owners have forgone veterinary care due to financial constraints, a clear sign that pet owners across the country are struggling with the increasing costs of care.

Pebbles was surrendered to ARL this past week, and her thorough veterinary exam revealed gastrointestinal inflammation, an ear infection, skin infection and irritation due to allergies, and because she’s an older dog, arthritis was also diagnosed in her knees and hips. 

The gastrointestinal, and chronic ear and skin issues have been treated and resolved, and Pebbles is now ready to find her new home.

ARL aims to keep people and pets together and offers a multitude of community-based, low-cost pet wellness services, however, animals like Pebbles that have chronic conditions that require medication and more frequent trips to the vet can be a costly, and the organization understands that the cost of this ongoing care can become overwhelming.

In these instances, surrender is sometimes the best option for both the animal and people involved, and ARL encourages anyone facing these types of struggles to reach out to its Animal Care & Adoption Centers, located in Boston, Dedham, and Brewster.

Learn more about ARL’s services.

ARL Briefs Legislators on Proposed Animal Protection Laws

Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden part of animal protection conversation

This past week the Animal Rescue League of Boston’s (ARL) Advocacy Department and other animal protection organizations were joined by Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden at the Massachusetts State House to provide a briefing to legislators and staff on bills relating to increasing protections for animals in Massachusetts.

ARL’s Law Enforcement Department also provided examples of cases they investigate, challenges with the current laws, and how these bills would help keep animals safe.

The legislation discussed included:

  • 1190/H.1938: An Act enhancing the issuance of citations for cruel conditions for animals, which would expand the number of species covered by civil citations for cruelty
  • 1207/H. 1914: An Act relative to the ownership of pets by convicted animal abusers/An Act relative to a temporary possession ban of animals for animal abusers, which would restrict pet ownership for repeat offenders
  • 1277/H. 1934: An Act relative to the humane protection of animals/An Act preventing animal cruelty, which would provide non-criminal alternatives to ensure animals are safe

For the latter, DA Hayden explained the need for a misdemeanor charge.

“Oftentimes now, people are very reluctant to resolve a case because it involves a felony conviction. Having a felony conviction on your record is far more significant than a misdemeanor offense, and so we get these cases that just languish in court,” Hayden said. “People are far less likely to admit wrongdoing even though they know they did it, even though they know they should be held accountable.”

Get Involved to Help Protect Animals in MA

ARL will continue to staunchly advocate for the passage of animal protection bills throughout the 2025-2026 legislative session, and you can get involved by learning more about these proposed bills and contacting your elected officials to encourage their endorsement to keep animals in Massachusetts safe.

You can learn more about these bills and ARL’s other legislative priorities in our legislative agenda.