Medfield Animal Shelter Receives $4K Grant from Mass. Animal Coalition

The Massachusetts Animal Coalition (MAC) recently awarded $176,000 to 29 animal organizations and control facilities across the state, including $4,000 to the Medfield Animal Shelter.

The grant will help the Medfield Animal Shelter spay/neuter cats in Medfield and surrounding towns.

These grants tip the scale: as there have been over $1 million given out to numerous animal shelters, rescue organizations, and municipal animal control departments. The funds – used to help support vital spay and neuter programs – are raised through the sale of the “I’m Animal Friendly” charitable license plates.

More than 8,000 “I’m Animal Friendly” license plates have been sold since the program’s inception in 2004.

“Massachusetts drivers are really showing their care and concern by not only purchasing the plates, but also renewing them,” says MAC Board Member Anne Lindsay. “Although this program only touches the tip of the iceberg, given the scope of the problem of animal homelessness, continued sales of the plates will move us closer to the day when all Massachusetts animals have a home.”

The grants are used to fund programs providing spaying and neutering to cats, dogs and rabbits at minimal cost. Proceeds are granted out each year by MAC to nonprofit animal organizations and city and town animal control departments within the Commonwealth. A total of $1 million has been granted, and more than 22,000 animals have been spayed or neutered as a result of the “I’m Animal Friendly” license plate program. The plates are available through the MA Registry of Motor Vehicles. They are tax deductible and can be purchased online by Massachusetts motorists at or at any full-service RMV branch.

“The license plate program has made a huge difference in the numbers of animals we are able to get spayed and neutered,” said Chris Arnott of the Lowell Humane Society.  “For example, Jinx is a nine-year-old cat who was surrendered to the Lowell Humane Society. She had given birth to 15 litters in her lifetime, all yielding five to seven kittens each. Jinx was spayed thanks to the MAC grant.”

MAC is a statewide, non-profit organization comprised of animal professionals and individual volunteers dedicated to working together to decrease the number of homeless, neglected, displaced and abused animals in Massachusetts.  MAC promotes collaboration, providing ongoing education programs, and encouraging responsible and humane animal care practices.

“MAC’s goal is to work toward an end to homeless animals in our state,” said Lindsay. “The plate program is a significant way for everyone in Massachusetts to help reach this goal.”