Meet our Cats & Kittens.
Please come and visit all the wonderful animals we have for adoption, who are looking for loving homes.
Please Note: Our shelter will be closed until February 3, 2010. We will not be having adoptions or taking in any new cats. Please email us or call us at (508) 875.3776 regarding any cats you are interested in.
Who We Are
MetroWest Humane Society is committed to reducing pet overpopulation and to helping animals in our area who have become lost, injured or have been abused. We also provide education on and promote community awareness of compassionate care of animals. www.webpaws.com/mwhs
Mission Statement
Guided by the humane ethic, it is the mission of the MetroWest Humane Society, Inc. to protect animals from neglect, abuse and exploitation to advocate for their interest and welfare, and to inspire awareness and compassion for all living things.
Feature Felines

Meet Wilson. If you want attention, come meet Wilson! Wilson is a big, black, handsome male kitty who is about four years old and came to our shelter as a stray. He just loves being with people and doesn't pay any attention to other cats when he is with you. Even when playing with his "toy on a string" he gazes at you and still manages to catch the toy! Wilson also enjoys laser lights, but is not as interested in toy mice. It seems he needs his human on the other end of the toy, otherwise a toy is just a toy. Wilson wants nothing more than to play and interact with you.
When he snuggles, he doesn't try to get on your lap. We suspect he knows he is a big boy, but he will snuggle as close to your legs as he can get. In fact, Wilson loves attention so much, he even loves to be brushed and absolutely adores a good grooming session. Maybe he thinks it's a great massage, (His foster mom is a massage therapist) or maybe because he doesn’t want to be all dishelved again like he was when he came to the shelter. But in any case, he seems to like what ever it takes to keep him clean and shiny and handsome. Wilson is a great multi-tasker. He does all of this playing, snuggling or grooming as he emits a loud rumble of a purr.
Wilson doesn't understand why he is at the shelter, so occasionally he will swat or otherwise let you know when he thinks you are leaving him too soon; or when he thinks he might be put back in his cage. When he was in foster care, he was great with his foster mom’s children. Unfortunately, Wilson was injured prior to coming to the shelter.
He couldn't tell us about it, so he spent 6 months in quarantine and during his vet visits, we discovered he was positive for Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV), so he needs to be an indoor cat. With good care, and regular check-ups, he will live a long healthy life. FIV+ kitties can live safely with other animals if they get along well. For additional information about FIV please ask us at the shelter, or you can read information about FIV at http://www.bestfriends.org/theanimals/petcare/cats_fiv.cfm
Wilson is healthy as "a horse" (but not quite as big as one!), up-to-date with his shots, neutered and uses his litter pan faithfully. If you are looking for a real love bug, please come in and visit with Wilson. He would love the company, and who knows, maybe our little guy will capture your heart.

Meet Pete. Pete has packed a lot of living into his 5 or 6 years and I’m sure if he could sing, his theme song would be “I wanna go home”. Sadly, Pete has had several homes already. His first owner moved and gave Pete to a friend, who passed away a few years later. He’s been at the shelter for almost a year now and believe me, he’s getting sick of it!
He has an interesting personality. He is a wonderfully affectionate boy who clearly enjoys human companionship. While he isn’t a fan of being petted and picked up, he tolerates a small amount of each of them. But sit on the floor and he will give full body rubs from one end to the other, and purr his little heart out the whole time! Some of our volunteers have observed that when you pat Pete with your hand, his tolerance is about a minute and then he lets you know he’s had enough by hissing or swatting, but take your hand away and he will quickly return to rub and purr some more. Who says it’s only girls that are fickle?
Pete is also very playful. Whether you tease him with the laser pointer, a wand/feather toy, or something else on the end of string, he seems to enjoy it. But once again, he likes that human interaction. Balls and toy mice are okay but having a human at the other end of his toys is the cat’s meow … so to speak.
At some point in his busy life before he came to the shelter, Pete became FIV+. It isn’t a problem now and may never be. He needs to be an indoor cat, but if he has a home of his own with windows to sit in to watch the world go by, he’ll be happy as a clam. Living at the shelter is taking its toll on this beautiful boy, though, by stressing him to the point that he pulls his fur out. Because he doesn’t get along with many of the other cats, he can’t run around the shelter as much as he’d like. Being in a cage, no matter how big, is the pits as far as he’s concerned. When we can give him a room to himself for a while the fur starts to grow back. And all to soon it’s someone else’s turn to have the room, and he goes back to pulling fur out in his cage. That tells us he has the makings of a beautiful fluffy fur ball again, but probably not as long as he’s in the shelter.
Please come and see this funny, friendly guy. No need to bring a brush. He doesn’t like that either – too much like petting I guess. But if you can sit a spell and have a chat with him, this little boy will melt your heart.
Events
MWHS Pet Calendar Photo Contest
Calling all you cats, dogs, puppies and kittens:
How many times have you been photographed hard at work retrieving tennis balls, chasing toy mice, saving your person from the mail carrier or other "intruders", or providing other necessary services such as holding down a couch cushion and watching for alien dust specks? And don't you often hear them say "This is SUCH a great picture"? Now is your chance to show off your talents in the 2010 MWHS calendar. Learn More »
Craft Fair hosted by MWHS
When: Saturday September 12, 2009, 10 AM - 4:00 PM | rain / shine
Where: Framingham Common, Edgell Road | Framingham, MA
We will have quality items from 60+ local crafters. Find that unique gift for someone special, and support MWHS at the same time! For you craft fair lovers, please keep this date open: free admission and something for everyone! Learn More »
Huge Yard Sale
When: Saturday October 3, 2009
Where: MetroWest Humane Society Shelter, 30 Pond St., Ashland
If you have items that you'd like to donate, please arrange to drop them off at the shelter on Saturday September 26, 2009.
Coins for Cats
A new summer-long fundraiser that everyone can have fun with and help the shelter animals too. Here’s how it works: We always have loose change, right? Well, we’d like to ask that you donate it to MWHS. Bring it to the shelter and watch our coin container grow in value! Or we can pick it up for you. Just call Sue at 508-788-7726 for pickup arrangements. It doesn’t get any easier than this.We’ll be accepting your private stashes from June 1 – September 6 2009.
MWHS Annual Auction 2009
When: Saturday, November 14, 2009 | 5:45 PM for viewing items, 7:00 PM for live auction.
Where: Indian Meadows Country Club | Rt. 9, Westborough, MA.
The MWHS grand finale fundraiser for 2009 will, of course, be our Annual Auction. You wont want to miss it! There will be free hors d’oeuvres and a delicious pasta bar, a cash bar, radio personalities, and best of all, fabulous items to bid on. If you are interested in an evening of fun, to get started on your holiday shopping and to support the animals, please be sure to put this date on your calendar. Learn More »
Donations
MetroWest Humane Society, Inc.is a non-profit, volunteer group dedicated to helping the animals. Here is how you can help:
Please make checks payable to MWHS and mail to:
MWHS
P.O. Box 1068
Framingham, MA 01701
On-line
You can donate to MWHS on line. Click on the PayPal link below- it's safe, secure and simple!
Other ways to donate
Visit our site to view all the ways you can donate to MWHS.
Want to Volunteer?
Be a part of a caring team! The success of our shelter is based on the contributions of our wonderful volunteers. Take a look at our volunteer opportunities, complete and sign the application and agreement forms, and return them to us.
View all our Volunteer Opportunities
Contact: Please call Leslie at (508) 485.0794 or Jacqui at (508)875.3776 with questions you may have.
Adoption Program
Adoption Hours
SAT 1:00 - 4:00 PM
SUN 1:00 - 4:00 PM
WED 6:30 - 8:00 PM
THU 6:30 - 8:00 PM
Adoption Steps
Below are the basics of adopting from MWHS. If you have any special concerns or requirements, please email us at mwhspaw@yahoo.com or call the shelter at 508-875-3776.
To adopt an animal from our shelter you must:
- Be 21 years of age and have photo ID.
- Be able to afford veterinary care and emergency medical treatment for your pet should it become necessary.
- Provide verification of home ownership, landlord's consent if renting, or bylaws if living in a condo.
- Provide current health records for animals already in the prospective home.
- Our adoption process includes both landlord approval for rental/condo applicants and a satisfactory vet check of current or previous animals prior to animal(s) leaving our shelter.
- Landlord approval may be obtained via a phone call or by providing written authorization on letterhead or by providing copies of lease or condo agreements.
- In order to ensure that a telephone vet check can be done promptly, please call your vet in advance to let them know they have your permission to release information to MWHS. (Some vets will not release this information without your approval.)
- Alternatively, you can bring copies of vet records for your current or previous animals that document regular and appropriate veterinary care.
- MWHS adopts kittens in pairs unless there is already another cat at the residence. Sometimes kittens in a litter will be particularly bonded to one another, and we may require those kittens to remain together, even if there is another cat in the household.
- MWHS reserves the right to conduct in-home visits.
Our Adoption Policies
- You must be 21 years of age.
- You must be able to afford average veterinary care of a cat and emergency medical treatment of your new pet if necessary.
- If you rent, permission has to be granted in your lease, on your landlord's letterhead, or by a call from MWHS staff to your landlord prior to a cat leaving the shelter. If you own a home, please bring a copy of your most recent property tax bill. If you own a condo, please bring a copy of the bylaws.
- MWHS adopts kittens in pairs unless there is already another cat at the residence. If there is another cat in the household, we will require an updated vet record copy on this cat and we may call the vet to verify the information prior to the kitten going to their new home. Please note that sometimes kittens in a litter will be particularly bonded, if so, we still reserve the right to place those particular kittens in pairs even if there is another cat in the household.
- MWHS reserves the right to conduct in home visits and to call or verify information from your veterinarian.
Our Adoption Process
- Complete our adoption application. This can be done at the shelter, or you may download the form, complete it and bring it to the shelter with you. You also have the option of having your application previewed prior to coming to the shelter by emailing it to us at mwhspaw@yahoo.com.
- Participate in the adoption interview at the shelter with an adoption counselor. The discussion helps us understand your expectations and environment so we can assist you in finding the cat(s) that will be a good fit. The interview is our best assurance for a successful adoption. We do what we feel is in the best interest of our cats and reserve the right to decline an application for any reason.
- Spend time at the shelter with the cat if a possible match has been made. The decision to adopt should not be made lightly, as the cat(s) will be with you for years to come. We prefer that all member of the family take part in the selection process and we encourage you to come back and visit again if you have the slightest uncertainty. It is stressful for an animal to go to a new home only to be returned to the shelter.
- Review all paperwork with an adoption counselor regarding care of the cat you are adopting.
- The cat(s) must leave the shelter in an approved cat carrier. You may purchase a carrier as well as other cat supplies from us at the time of adoption.
- Your adoption counselor will provide suggestions and guidance to help you determine the best way to transition your cat(s) to his/her new home and will provide on-going telephone assistance if needed.
Adoption Fees
Kittens: (6 months or less): $150 each | two kittens $275
Adults: $125 each | two adults $225
- Feline leukemia & FIV blood test
- Spay/neuter (or *free spay/neuter certificate at our participating vets)
- Rabies vaccine, (*must be older than 4 months to get this vaccine)
- FVRCP (distemper) vaccine (*kittens require a series of 3)
- Flea/tick/ear-mite treatment
- Deworming
Hours & Location
Hours
MetroWest Humane Society is open the following days and time:
Saturday / 1:00 - 4:00 PM
Sunday / 1:00 - 4:00 PM
Wednesday / 6:30 - 8:00 PM
Thursday / 6:30 - 8:00 PM
Please Note: The shelter will be closed the following dates in 2009:
Sunday / April 12
Wednesday / November 25
Thursday / November 26
Thursday / December 24
Thursday / December 31
Location
30 Pond Street
Ashland, MA 01721
Phone:(508) 875.3776
Email: mwhspaw@yahoo.com
Directions
We are located on Rt 126 South (Pond St), across the street from the Market Basket Plaza.