Puppies & Juveniles
(1 year old and under): $580
Adults (1 to 9 years old): $480
Seniors (10 years old and over): $300
Kittens & Juveniles
(1 year old and under): $380
Adults (1 to 10 years old): $230
Seniors (11 years old and over): $150
Adoption fees for birds, small animals/exotics, and livestock vary by species. Please call (617) 426-9170 to speak with an Animal Care Associate.
Clients and visitors of ARL and BVC are kindly asked to observe the most current CDC guidelines to present the spread of respiratory viral illnesses.
Animal Care & Adoption Center Hours
Mondays & Holidays: Closed
Tuesdays: By appointment only from 1:00PM – 6:00PM
Wednesdays-Sundays: Open from 1:00PM – 6:00PM
The Animal Rescue League of Boston is committed to matching adoptable animals with a home. Our conversation-based, application-free adoption process is designed so that the needs of both the animal and the adopter are understood and compatible with one another. We do this to achieve our vision that we will be a resource for people and an unwavering champion for animals most in need.
Adoption Process and Requirements
Same-day adoptions are often possible, dependent on the specific animal and the adopter’s state of residence requirements.
We require the following as part of the adoption process:
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- Adopter must be 18 years of age or older.
- A photo of the cage your pet will live in, if adopting a small animal or bird.
- Adopters are responsible for bringing their own travel carrier to bring home all adopted cats, guinea pigs, rabbits, ferrets, chinchillas, and other small animals or birds of a larger size. All ARL Animal Care & Adoption centers offer new travel carriers for sale ($35 – $40 depending on size), along with gently used carriers, as supplies last ($20).
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pets were adopted to their forever homes in 2023!
No matter how they came to the shelter – through a law enforcement case such as a hoarding situation, as a stray brought in by a kind citizen or an animal control officer, or when an owner passes away – cats, dogs, birds, rabbits, and even pot-bellied pigs are treated with kindness and compassion.
Every animal that comes through our doors is immediately provided with extraordinary medical care by our Shelter Veterinary Medicine team.
While most shelters put an emphasis on physical care, we at the ARL know that an animal’s mental and emotional well-being is equally as important. Each animal participates in our unique Shelter Behavior and Enrichment program to not only make them happy and comfortable while they’re in our shelter, but also prepare them for life in their future home.
When you adopt a pet from one of our shelters in Boston, Brewster, or Dedham, you not only give a homeless animal a safe and loving place to live, but also save two lives: the animal you adopt and the animal who can take its place.
Another great perk?
All of this is included in your new pet’s adoption fee:
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- Spay or neuter services (excluding some small animals)
- Health screening and veterinary examination
- Behavior evaluations & enrichment
- Vaccinations
- Microchip identification and registration
- Heartworm test and preventative medication for dogs
- Flea, tick, and mite treatment
- Deworming for intestinal parasites
- A starter bag of Hill’s Science Diet food for cats and dogs
- And more!
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Shelter Behavior & Enrichment Program
The Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL) is an unwavering champion for animals in need, committed to keeping them safe and healthy… before, during, and after they leave our shelters. Most other animal shelters put an emphasis on the medical and physical aspects of animal care. At ARL, we know that an animal’s mental and emotional well-being is equally as important. ARL’s staff and volunteers, including the MOD Squad (Behavior Modification Squad), go the extra mile to determine the best methods to help each animal adapt to their new environment and get them ready to find a new home through behavior evaluation and modification, and enrichment.
Behavior Evaluation & Modification
Behavior Evaluation & Modification
ARL’s behavior evaluation process takes in all the information available to us for each animal. When possible, we start with a profile when an owner relinquishes a pet to us. If the animal comes in as a stray, we do everything that we can to gather as much information about an animal’s behavior.
Our shelter dogs go through a systematic behavior evaluation in which they are screened for friendliness to humans, excitement levels, fear, aggression, and how well they know cues.
For all animals, we gather and report behavior observed in the shelter and compile this information to determine each individual animal’s enrichment needs.
Customized Enrichment Plan
Each animal participates in ARL’s unique Shelter Behavior and Enrichment program to not only make them happy and comfortable while they’re in our shelter, but also prepare them for life in their future home.
ARL uses holistic methods to enrich their daily experience through a combination of proper socialization, playtime, and relaxation.
Shelter Veterinary Services
ARL’s Shelter Veterinary Medicine Team provides comprehensive veterinary services for all three of the Animal Rescue League of Boston’s (ARL) shelters in Boston, Brewster, and Dedham.
Every animal that comes to an ARL shelter receives a medical evaluation from one of our highly-qualified, caring shelter veterinarians. Our team members continuously train and work to expand skills to meet the needs of a diverse range of species including dogs, cats, rabbits, small animal, bird, and livestock, coming from a variety of living situations and conditions.
In 2023, our team:
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- Completed over 3,433 exams on our shelter pets
- Performed over 2,458 surgeries for our shelter pets
Want to learn from our team? View our student opportunities:
Taming Tiny Tigers Program
Taming Tiny Tigers provides socialization for fearful kittens 8 weeks to 5-months-old to prepare them for a life with human companions. Trained staff and volunteers pair consistent handling with positive reinforcement, such as giving them delicious wet canned food, to help the kitten slowly form a trust with humans. Once kittens show improvement, they are made available for adoption. This program also provides counseling to prepare adopters to bring home their fearful kitten to continue to build trust with them and help them thrive in their new homes.
Working Cats Program
Not all adoptable cats are meant to live in a typical home setting. The Working Cat Program finds placement for cats best suited to an active working lifestyle with homes and facilities looking for the benefits of both a working cat and feline friend. Working cats serve as facility caretakers in return for shelter, food, water, and veterinary care. These cats are identified by ARL’s Animal Care & Adoption staff and matched to homes/facilities based on their personalities and the qualities the families/proprietors are looking for. ARL will counsel working cat adopters on introducing their cat(s) to new surroundings —ARL’s Free Pet Behavior Helpline is always available for adopters with behavior questions.
