On This Page:

The First Step
Why Mansfield Needs a New Animal Shelter
Services the Shelter Provides
About Mansfield Animal Shelter
The Campaign Thus Far
Imagine . . . A New Shelter
How You Can Help
Memorial Plaques

NEW!
Wish List of materials we need
to construct the interior of the new shelter.
Click here

New Shelter Funding Campaign

The First Step - Clearing Land at the New Shelter Site

Why Mansfield Needs a New Shelter

The human and animal populations in Mansfield have grown dramatically in recent years, and the Shelter is no longer adequate for the town’s increasing animal needs. There are only 6 dog runs, and the cat room is usually filled to capacity.

· Because animals are rarely euthanized at the Shelter, many of them spend months living in cramped cages.

· Visitors who come to the Shelter to adopt have no place to meet the cats or dogs in a quiet environment.

· New cats at the shelter are placed in a quarantine room until they have seen a vet. This room is extremely small, with even smaller cages than in the main cat room. There is no quarantine accommodation for dogs.

· Telephone conversations between volunteers and callers are difficult because barking dogs are housed adjacent to the office.

· Office space is so small than only one volunteer at a time has room to work, despite the volume of administrative work that always needs to be done.

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For more photos of current shelter conditions, click HERE.

Services the Shelter Provides

Despite limited resources, the Shelter provides the following services for homeless animals from Mansfield:

· All Shelter animals are examined by a vet before they are eligible for adoption. If needed, animals are neutered/spayed, and updated on vaccinations. They are also tested for feline leukemia and heartworm (dogs).

· In cooperation with the Animal Rescue League of Boston, the Shelter offers a low cost spay/neuter program to local residents. The Spay Waggin, a  mobile unit, visits the Shelter once a month, and also vaccinates and microchips animals.

· By trapping feral cats the Shelter has waged an aggressive spay/neuter program to reduce the stray/feral cat population in Mansfield. This has resulted in a dramatic decrease in the number of homeless kittens brought to the Shelter.

· The shelter promotes adoptions by featuring animals in local newspapers, posting animal information on petfinder.com, and publishing photos of shelter animals on the shelter website which is updated weekly.

· A newsletter that gives information on available pets, pet care, and events involving the shelter, is mailed regularly to Mansfield Shelter Friends members.

· In an effort to provide loving homes, adoption counselors screen prospective adopters for their willingness and ability to provide proper care and a suitable environment. for the animals.

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About Mansfield Animal Shelter

The Mansfield Animal Shelter provides a refuge for stray and surrendered Mansfield dogs and cats until they can find homes.  Town funding for the Shelter is minimal; the Shelter is primarily self-funded. Veterinary expenses for spay/neutering, shots, and other medical needs, as well as for food and shelter supplies, are covered with money from donations,  fundraisers, and adoption fees. The Mansfield Shelter Friends, a  non-profit organization, works with the Shelter and the Animal Welfare Committee to coordinate and track donations.

 With the exception of the Animal Control Officer, the shelter staff is all volunteers, who provide care for the animals 365 days a year. Volunteers visit the shelter nightly, and twice a day on weekends, to feed the animals, clean their cages, launder animal bedding, walk the dogs, and provide love and attention for the homeless pets. In addition, volunteers transport animals to veterinary appointments, and provide temporary foster homes for animals that are too sick or too young to be adopted

Existing shelter by the sewer sludge treatment facility.

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The Campaign Thus Far . . .

• Land has been cleared for the site of the new shelter, on property donated by the Town of Mansfield, off the service road leading to the present shelter.

• The site survey and site plans will be done at no cost, thanks to a generous donation.

• The building design is complete, and we have received quotes for construction of a weather tight steel building shell.

• Through donations and fundraisers we have raised more than half of the  $180,000 needed to construct the shell.*

• Approximately $200,000 in additional donations of cash, materials, and labor is needed to complete barebones inside construction.*

•  We estimate a barebones cost of $386,000 with a fully outfitted cost of $421,000
  These costs assume additional donations of material and labor.

* Numbers are estimates and may change over time.

Click HERE to see recent donation information.

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Imagine . . .

Imagine a shelter with a spacious cat room where cats are allowed out of their cages to play and jump and perch on cat furniture; with window seats where cats can look outdoors and feel the sunlight; with a quiet, stress free room where visitors can get to know the dogs and cats they want to adopt; with spacious dog runs; with a quiet, larger office where volunteers can work productively.

With your help this dream can come true: to improve conditions for the animals who must live in a shelter while they are waiting for homes.

How You Can Help

The new Mansfield Animals Shelter will be built with generous donations from corporations and individuals. To make your tax-deductible contribution, mark your check "For the Building Fund" and mail it to Mansfield Shelter Friends, PO Box 25, Mansfield, MA. All donations are welcome. Larger donations will be recognized on plaques, in the reception area of the new shelter building, as follows.

NEW! Wish List of materials we need to construct the interior of our shelter.  Click here

Click here to view samples of plaques.

CONTACT US ABOUT ROOM NAMING PRIVILEGES.
volunteers@mansfieldshelter.org

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