AniMatch, MA: Smart Networking to Connect Pets with “Furever” Homes

generationwags Creating Change for Good

In the car rental or car purchasing industry it is quite common to “move” vehicles around to different locations based on supply and demand.

Within the rescue community, the “transport” of adoptable animals is done everyday to move them from “high kill” or “at risk” situations to “safe havens” and foster homes, often many States away or across the country.

Massachusetts Animal Coalition

The Massachusetts Animal Coalition or MAC‘s AniMatch program, created in 2007, has put into place a system for animal welfare organizations in Massachusetts to work “smarter” within their own State and Creating Change for Good for the adoptable animals at member shelters and rescue organizations.

The Need and How AniMatch Began

animatchmasslogoAniMatch was created by members of a Massachusetts Animal Coalition (MAC) task force when there seemed to be a growing belief that there was a shortage of adoptable dogs in Massachusetts which had spurred area rescues to import both puppies and adult dogs from out of state for adoption in Massachusetts.   While the  AniMatch task force recognized the value of saving the lives of dogs outside of Massachusetts, they also determined that there were many adoptable dogs within the State that were not being placed, simply because of a lack of resources and exposure in their communities.

The AniMatch network provides a “system to support the intrastate evaluation and transfer of pets, affording these forgotten dogs that opportunity”.

Their system essentially assists member organizations with a tool to easily post their “oversupply” and “undersupply” of adoptables to work smart in finding furever homes for their pets!

Their expansive online database connects adoptable pets – both dogs and cats – with rescue groups, shelters, and municipal animal control facilities within Massachusetts.  This maximizes pets’ chances of finding the best adoptive homes according to their needs and gives animal welfare organizations an opportunity to help a dog they wouldn’t have normally been aware of.

In 2016, AniMatch for Cats was launched!  Within the first few months of the program, the transfer of 50 cats and kittens was accomplished!

AniMatch and its network of volunteers and participating organizations are making a difference for Massachusetts animals.  At the same time, they’ve developed a model for other States that may wish to “adopt” their approach Creating Change for Good for their own adoptable pets!

AniMatch members

AniMatch membership currently includes 167 participating organizations.  

Lilly

AniMatch dog Lilly, transferred from City of Brockton Animal Control Department to PittieLove Rescue, Inc., goes home. Happy life Lilly!!

Just a few of pets successfully transported and adopted within the AniMatch System.
Scroll over each photo for their tale.

Wordpress Photo Gallery

Added Benefits through Collaboration

AniMatch also provides a range of learning opportunities for members, such as this one on Canine Body Language and Behavior Observation Training.

Animal Protection Center of Southeastern Massachusetts hosted an AniMatch Canine Body Language and Behavior Observation Training.

In 2015, AniMatch volunteers performed 224 Behavior Observations.  292 dogs were helped through their database listings, and 41% were pitbull-type dogs.  To date, AniMatch has helped over 2300 dogs.

AniMatch at Work

PENNY

Take the case of Harper (now Penny) for instance. Brockton Animal Control found her on the streets “emaciated, flea infested, anemic, dehydrated, […][with] severe corneal ulcers, […] suspected vision loss, a UTI, and […] unable to properly walk due to the severity of matting.” They immediately connected with AniMatch who reached out to All Dog Rescue (ADR). ADR got Penny checked by a vet and placed in a foster home. Within months she began to heal with a regimen of medical treatment, love, and care. “Her coat grew back sleek and shiny and her eyes healed nicely, gaining some lost vision”. Soon she was adopted by a family at Saugus where she now lives happily with her human family, a Cockapoo, and a parrot.”

DOUG

Like Penny, Murphy (now Doug) too found a good home thanks to the efficient and quick networking made possible by AniMatch. After his owner died Murphy ended up at the Ludlow Animal Control but within three days of being posted on AniMatch Doug had been transferred to to Animal Rescue League of Boston’s Dedham shelter  where he was quickly adopted. Doug is currently reported to be ‘spoiled rotten and living the good life on the Cape.'” [AniMatch Success Stories].
The Massachusetts community is hugely appreciative of this pioneering program:
As Sarah Cronin of Pittie Stop Rescue notes, “Our local shelters are filled with amazing, caring individuals who do so much for the dogs in their care, but at the end of the day, we all have limited resources and limited time. AniMatch has helped create a pathway, not only for the dogs, but for staff and volunteers; enabling us to better communicate and gain information on dogs in need of transfer […] We always say, it often takes an army to save one dog and AniMatch has and continues to strengthen our local ‘army’.”
Kim Agricola, Director of the Medfield Animal Shelter adds how, “AniMatch has been an amazing partner for us. Not only do they bring dogs in need to our attention, but they also do an excellent job evaluating them so that we know if they will be a good fit for our small shelter where most of the care is provided by volunteers. Before the Massachusetts Animal Coalition started AniMatch, we knew there must be dogs in need in Massachusetts, but didn’t know how to find them.”
Fundraising and Support for Pet Owners
Below are just a few of the programs that MAC offers in addition to AniMatch’s collaborative pet transfer efforts!
-Their “I’m Animal Friendly” license plate program directly benefits animals and organizations across the state, funding vital spay and neuter services for cats, dogs and rabbits while also raising awareness of the importance of spay/neuter.
This program has been promoted with creative outreach including a PSA advocating “Drive like an animal (lover).”
– Their Pit Bull resources page provides a wide range of information including low cost spay/neuter programs.
– Meetings with guest speakers on a wide range of topics to benefit members.
Learn more about the collaborative efforts that MAC has developed for their State by going to www.massanimalcoalition.org.
If you would like to reach out to AniMatch for mentoring for their transfer of pets efforts,
Read about other organizations and initiatives that are
Creating Change for Good