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Our Mission - The Animal Shelter Inc. of Sterling, Massachusetts EIN # 04-3236868 is a non-profit organization (formed in 1988 - incorporated in 1994) and no-kill animal shelter with no time or age restrictions. The shelter exists to provide humane sheltering and high quality medical care for stray, unwanted, abused and neglected animals and to find loving, lifelong homes for orphaned pets. The staff is dedicated to finding good homes for adoptable pets and we continue to promote responsible pet ownership and to improve the quality of life for the animals and people in our community. The Shelter is supported entirely by donations from private individuals and through surrender and adoption fees. The Animal Shelter, Inc. does not receive support from the United Way or from federal, state or local governments. Our on-site veterinary clinic cares for over 3,000+ animals that come through our shelter yearly and provides a low/no cost spay/neuter, general wellness program assisting local animal control officers, shelters and breed rescues. .
The Animal Shelter, Inc. of Sterling, Massachusetts exists to provide loving, temporary shelter and care for stray, unwanted, abused and neglected animals; to find loving, lifelong homes for orphaned pets. Right now, as you read this, there are beautiful animals waiting for you at our shelter. They are not "mutts" or "pound dogs" or "feral barn cats", but friendly, family pets that happen to be in between owners. They are here waiting to be loved...
Here are some of the programs, events and services we offer:
PetRock – PetRock – www.petrockfest.com - created September 1999 – Co-sponsored/organized by our shelter -The mission of the Pet Rock Festival is to provide a venue where animal welfare organizations of all kinds (from those that fight to prevent cruelty in the courts to shelters to rescues to rehabilitation programs) gather to educate the public about their pets and programs, promote kindness to animals, and raise money for their organizations. This event draws thousands of pet lovers from all over New England each year.
Early Spay/Neuter Program - Effective February 15th, 1999 - the Animal Shelter Inc. spays / neuters all animals before they leave the shelter. This includes puppies and kittens as young as 6 weeks. We maintain a 100% compliance rate and will NOT adopt un-neutered animals UNLESS it is a MEDICAL necessity due to age, complications and/or known congenital defects, which may risk the pet's life. Early age spay and neuter is the surgical sterilization of companion animals prior to the conventional age of 6 months. For an increasing number of shelters it can mean 100% sterilization compliance rates, fewer returned animals, and improved staff morale. While it may seem that interest in early spay/neuter is a recent phenomenon, it has not only been talked about, but it has been practiced for over 25 years in North America!
Save A Sato Program – www.saveasato.org – Established May 1999 - our shelters joint life-saving venture with animal rescue volunteers of Puerto Rico. Hundreds of homeless, starved, poisoned and tortured animals are rescued and rehabilitated and sent to our shelter each year, where they await loving, lifelong homes. The volunteers in Puerto Rico (at their own cost) take these animals known as "Satos" (mixed breed street dogs) off the cruel streets and care for them until they are healthy enough to be flown to our shelter. Here at our shelter, they are bathed, re-vaccinated, spayed or neutered, vet checked and found loving homes! To date our shelter has rescued and re-homed thousands of these amazing animals.
Seniors 4 Seniors - Established October 18, 2000 The staff realizes that companion animals are essential to keeping people healthy, vibrant and to reducing blood pressure and stress. Often times older people need and want animals to give them love and companionship throughout their golden years. Because the staff recognizes that pets can be expensive if one is on disability, Social Security or limited income, we have created a Seniors for Seniors program. The shelter waives the adoption fee of any qualifying animal at our shelter 5+ years for an adopter 55 years or older. The shelter will also have that pet spayed or neutered, fully vaccinated and vet checked before sending it home with the adopting family. The average cost of this service is over $500. The adopting Senior is taking home a healthy, friendly companion and saving the initial cost of any medical care and adoption fees. This program is a win/win situation for both the adopter and the pet.
Spay Your Mama & Neuter Your Daddy– Established January 2001 – our shelter provides free and low cost spaying/neutering for pet owners that have recently surrendered offspring of their pet/s. Those pets who enter this program must meet specific criteria for our services. It is our goal to accept the juveniles into our shelter (where they will be spayed or neutered before adoption), spay the mother (and father) dog/cat so they do not become repeat offenders of continual litters reproducing in our community. Prior to instituting this program, we repeatedly saw multiple litters of puppies/kittens coming from the same household. We have spayed hundreds of dogs/cats that would have otherwise kept delivering puppies/kittens in to our community.
Homebound Hounds Program – Established July 2000 - A Death Row Puppy Rescue Mission -Rescuing and re-homing puppies/dogs from Virginia - destined to die in the gas chambers. Currently we work with dozens of rural community kill shelters, animal control facilities and pounds. Here at our shelter, they are bathed, re-vaccinated, spayed or neutered, vet checked and found loving homes! We have rescued and re-homed over 10,000 dogs and puppies through this program. Tennessee Rescue – Summer 2006 – this same program was launched with shelters/rescues in rural TN.
Veterinary Student / Veterinary Technician Training Externships – effective 2003 the shelter accepts 4th year veterinary students for two-week extern programs and vet tech students for their mandatory 200 hours of clinic experience. Recognized by Tufts University as a full extern program, 4th year students are graded by our veterinarians on staff in their surgical rotation, hands on skills and patient care. This program gives the vet and tech students the greatly needed hands on and surgical experience they can’t possibly gain working on owned animals in private practice. Students are trained in preventive medicine programs at our shelter that include protocols relating to vaccination, internal and external parasite control, cleaning and disinfection, disease testing, animal handling, personnel and animal traffic flow, shelter design, zoonoses management, treatment protocols for common diseases in shelters, surgical and anesthetic protocols and peri-operative management of in-shelter ovariohysterectomies and castrations and disease surveillance programs to quantitatively describe the herd health within shelters and facilitate evaluation of the effectiveness of new and existing protocols.
Worldwide Outreach Program – Effective September 2003 – The staff, vets and volunteers of the shelter have partnered with rescue organizations in the Caribbean islands to spay/neuter the animals of their community at NO COST. In the Caribbean islands there is no money and no governmental support for animals. Our newest program is to assemble a vet team one to two times a year and travel to the most remote parts of the Caribbean (and beyond) to assist the poorest of people care for their pets. Spay/Neuter is our most important focus as well as education, proper nutrition, and ID collars for the pets. Not only do we spay or neuter their pets, we continue to collect donations and supplies to send every couple of months. 100% of the trip, supplies and materials are donated or funds are raised specifically for these trips. Our shelter staff and vets have traveled to Saint Lucia , Puerto Rico, and the Galapagos Islands.
Merit “Bone Badge” Program –The "Bone Badge" Girl Scout Pet Care patch, initiated in September 2003 has proven successful. The girls have a minimum number of lessons in kindness to perform in order to earn their patch. The program and all the lessons are age appropriate for Daisies, Brownies, Juniors, and Cadettes/Seniors. The girls learn how to be safe around animals, how to properly care for a pet, importance of having proper identification on pets, and the importance of medical care. We have educated hundreds of girls this year so far.
Disaster Rescue Assistance – Established August 2004 – trained shelter staff and veterinarians travel to natural and man made disasters to assist animals in need. Rescue, recovery and rehabilitation are the main focus. 100% of the trip/s are funded through our shelter. Our shelter is proud to have assisted after Hurricane Charley and Hurricane Katrina.
Tennessee Rescue – Established Spring 2007 – Another Puppy and Dog Rescue Mission -Rescuing and re-homing puppies from TN destined to die in the gas chambers.
All animals will be spayed or neutered before leaving the shelter. Even the puppies and kittens! Average cost $125-$400.
All animals will be up to date on shots. This includes Rabies – average cost $15. Distemper – average cost $15. Wormed if necessary – average cost $15. Vet checked, fecal tested, and dogs over 6 months will be Heartworm tested.
All cats and kittens will be feline leukemia and FIV tested. Estimated cost $40-$50
All animals will receive one free follow up PHYSICAL with a VCA Animal Hospital. For locations please see www.healthypet.net - average cost - $40.
Dogs will receive a FREE leash and collar and personalized ID tag.
Cats will be provided with a FREE cardboard cat carrier.
New animals come to us every day in the hope of being adopted. If you are interested in adopting an animal you need to show proof that you own a home, a copy of a leasing agreement stating that pets are allowed, or have a written letter from your landlord saying that pets are allowed with a phone number so that shelter staff can verify pet occupancy. All adopters MUST be 21 years of age or older. There are NO exceptions. All children in the household must also be present!
Monday CLOSED
Tuesday - Friday 11:00 AM to 5:45 PM
Saturday 10:00 AM to 3:45 PM
Sunday CLOSED
The gate closes 15 minutes prior to closing time. Please call for Holiday Hours or see our website www.sterlingshelter.org (we are closed most major holidays and holiday weekends).