(no subject)

[greenbeats.livejournal.com]

Is there a pound (dog/animal) in Somerville/Cambridge/Boston?

I've always wondered that, but Google doesn't really provide a good answer.

Comments

[kissoflife.livejournal.com]

And why do you want to know this?? So you can banish some poor misunderstood or neglected animal you find annoying to it? Gee, hope everyone jumps right up to tell you where it is.
Clearly we could use some clarification, here...

[greenbeats.livejournal.com]

yes, thanks for the pessimism!

no, i've been looking to adopt a dog for months now and i'm wondering if there's a place like that where dogs are really in need of a home, but who would also not charge $500 to adopt.

sheesh.

[heliograph.livejournal.com]

That may be tough. Most of the local places will charge for medical, neutering, shots, etc., and that all adds up.

Your best bet is something like Craig's List. There's tons of animals on there that people are pretty desperate to unload:

http://boston.craigslist.org/pet/

Good luck!

[sly-salkie.livejournal.com]

The animal rescue league takes of Boston in animals from all the surrounding areas of Boston, and they are technically a kill-shelter. I worked there for three days and couldn't stop crying about the poor little animals so I quit.

That said, this is Boston, and if a shelter does put animals to sleep, it is for the sake of being humane. Animals can go crazy if they're kept in little cages, and also I don't think they have the funding or space to keep every animal that comes through. All adoptable animals (ie dogs that don't seem to bite people) are put up for adoption, and if I'm not mistaken, none of the animals, once cleared for adoption, can be put down. I always adopt from there. There's never a shortage of animals who are in dire need of a good human to give them a chance in life. You probably already knew about them, but they're the closest thing to real pound I know of.

omg are you going to banish some poor neglected animal to be murdered there?

[greenbeats.livejournal.com]

that's terrible! i never knew they were a kill-shelter, though i did wonder why they cycled through animals so quickly. i mean, i see where you're coming from with saying it is humane, but it's still really sad.

but yes, i've been there often. i've just found that they have pretty high adoption fees as well.

[heliograph.livejournal.com]

According to this:

http://www.arlboston.org/Main/adopt.aspx

It is more or less in your price range, especially if you get an older dog.

[sly-salkie.livejournal.com]

It's very sad, and very controversial. All the people who work there adore animals, and they only last if they believe that what they're doing is right. I had a pet rat that was dying of a respiratory infection, and I had him put to sleep, and then I hated myself because I wasn't sure if he actually wanted to die, and why was it my choice, and was I only doing it so that I wouldn't have to watch him suffer, etc...

Their adoption fees are definitely a bit high, but all the vet work is done for you already for the next year. I'll second someone else's advice to check the craigslist classifieds. Lots of people get animals and then make life decisions that don't factor their pets into the equation (pisses me off so much), but some have healthy animals, up to date on shots and whatnot, who the owners want to see in good homes.