Operations Update

May 24, 2021:
The shelter will again have open hours to the public beginning June 15th. We will be open 7 days a week from 12-4pm. We do plan on resuming our previous hours of being closed Mondays and open late on Thursday evenings, but not until July. Stayed tuned for updates.

• We are continuing to accept donations, but have limited space. Please call in advance to see if your donation is something the shelter can utilize.
• Most services will continue to be by appointment only. This includes surrenders, nail trims, microchips and owner requested euthanasia.
• Adoption will work on a hybrid model. Inquires regarding animals can be in person, over the phone or via email. Adoptions applications can be submitted in person or by email. You can refer to the adoption process section of our website for more detailed information.
• We are hoping to resume orientations and school visits/tours in the near future and will update information as it changes.
• Continue to keep an eye on our website and follow us on Facebook for the most recent updates.

June 9, 2020: Operations are adjusting with phase two of the COVID-19 reopening plan.

• We are now accepting some soft goods (blankets, towels and sheets only)
• We are scheduling nail trims by appointment only. Pet owners will not be allowed into the building.
• Appointments will be made for all adoptions and surrenders. Call ahead to make appointment. Casual visits to view pets will NOT be allowed, please review adoptable pets on website and contact us for details on making an appointment to meet them.
• All School visits and tours have been cancelled for 2020.
• No new volunteer orientations are on the schedule at this time.
• Continue to keep an eye on our website and follow us on Facebook for the most recent updates.

May 18, 2020: With the announcement of phase one of Governor Baker’s COVID-19 reopening plan, we will begin accepting non-emergency surrenders effectively immediately. We are still operating by appointment only, with business hours of 12-4 each day. Staff will return all calls within 24 hours, generally between the hours of 12-4 each day.

To keep our staff safe, we are limiting the number of visitors inside the building and will not be permitting casual visitors at this time.

Surrendering a pet: If you need to surrender a pet, please call to make an appointment with our staff. We will take a brief survey over the phone about your pets behavior and medical history. Please have your veterinarian fax medical history to us in advance. At the time of your surrender, please leave your pet in the car and ring our doorbell. We do require masks for all interactions with our staff. One of our staff members will bring your paperwork out to sign and take your pet inside. Surrenderers will not be permitted inside.

Adopting a pet: Inquiries for adoption should be for specific animals. Please review the adoptable pets on our website. If you see a pet you feel is a match for your family, call us to speak to a staff member. We will go over their full history with you over the phone to determine whether the pet would likely be a match, if so, we will e-mail you the digital adoption application and once returned and approved, we will schedule an appointment for you to meet the pet you are interested in. To keep social distancing standards, we ask that only one member of your household come to meet the pet. All dog introductions will be done outdoors on leash, either in our play yard or on a walk. Cat and small animal adopters will be permitted into the building.

You can reach out to us for all questions or concerns at 978-452-7781 or email us at info@lowellhumanesociety.org.

You can help care for homeless pets by making a donation today.

May 1, 2020: As the quarantine continues, we are working hard to ensure animals in need continue to get the best care possible. We are currently housing the majority of pets in foster homes as they await the opportunity to find new homes. Currently we have 24 pets in fostercare and 14 pets being cared for within the Lowell Humane Society shelter.

Adoptions are being completed by appointment only and we have found new homes for 17 pets in the past week. If you are interested in adopting a pet, please visit our adoptable pets page . If there is a pet you are interested in, call our staff to schedule an appointment at 978-452-7781.

Throughout the quarantine we have continued to provide medical treatment for a number of animals who required ultrasounds, x-rays and medications. Our greatest need is funds to continue our life saving work.  We are currently accepting monetary donations to help us continue medical treatments, pet food donations to continue providing for families who are unable to provide pet food during these trying times and cleaning supplies such as bleach, paper towels and hand sanitizer.

We are not currently accepting donations of soft goods/linens/bedding or other pet supplies.

Please check back here for updates.

March 30, 2020: Lowell Humane Society is taking the COVID-19 pandemic very seriously. In order to keep our staff, volunteers and community safe, we have made some changes to our operation procedures for the time being.

We are currently closed to the public and all volunteers. The majority of the shelter pets have been transferred into foster homes and a few key staff members remain full time to provide care for the remaining shelter pets. The few pets who are still in the shelter are receiving medical treatment, receiving training from our staff or moving would set their socialization behind. We are scheduling appointments for all surrenders, adoptions and donation drop offs in order to limit exposure for our staff and clients. Please continue to monitor our website for new adoptable pets, as we will be adding new pets as they become available. You can also follow social media and search for the hashtag #pandemicpals or #lhspandemicpals to see some of our pets in fostercare.

While closed to the public, the shelter is still in need of the community’s support. Outstanding medical bills still remain for several surgeries and procedures recently completed for homeless pets in their care, a small chihuahua mix named Gizmo who received hip surgery, a senior pit bull mix who’s ailments are still unknown despite diagnostic testing, a puppy who had liver shunt surgery and several new animals who have come in since the quarantine needing extensive medical care. Donations to our medical and operations fund can be made online or by mailing a check to our facility at 951 Broadway St Lowell, MA 01854. 

We are still accepting donations of pet food, new in sealed containers (dry kibble and canned food of all brands and flavors). These donations are supporting our food pantry and local community pantries to support families in need during these difficult financial times. We are not accepting donations of soft goods at this time, this includes linens, towels and blankets.

All new volunteer and foster orientations have been canceled.

We are using caution during our scheduled appointments and thoroughly sanitizing work spaces multiple times a day to protect our staff and clients. We can’t express enough how grateful we are for our dedicated animal care staff, our incredible foster and volunteer team who stepped up and for our supportive community who has been standing strong behind us as we navigate this strange new world we are living in.

If you have any questions about surrendering or adopting a pet, please call us at 978-452-7781 or email info@lowellhumanesociety.org.