Across Massachusetts, animal shelters are in crisis. 

Overcrowding has reached heartbreaking levels. Shelters are taking in more animals than ever before, but adoptions have slowed—and the reasons are clear. Rising costs of housing, food, and veterinary care have forced many loving families to make the devastating choice to give up their pets. It’s not because they don’t care. It’s because they simply can’t afford to care for them anymore.

Shelters that were built to temporarily house animals are now stretched beyond capacity. Volunteers and staff are overwhelmed. In some cases, shelters have had to stop taking in new animals altogether. That means more dogs, cats, and other pets are at risk of being abandoned or left in unsafe situations.

This isn’t just an animal welfare issue—it’s a community crisis. When shelters overflow, public safety suffers. When families can’t access affordable pet support, animals pay the price. And when we fail to act, we fail some of the most vulnerable members of our communities.

We’re calling on the Massachusetts legislature and Governor Maura Healey to allocate emergency funding for animal shelters across the state. This funding should go toward expanding capacity, supporting veterinary services, and helping families in crisis keep their pets through short-term assistance programs.

These animals have no voice. But we do. Let’s use it to speak up for them—and for the families who love them. Sign this petition to demand immediate state support for Massachusetts shelters before this crisis worsens.