Latest News

Join us at our 3rd annual Motorcycle Run

Saturday, August 14, 2010, the ride begins at TJO and ends at the Holyoke Lodge of Elks with food, a live band and lots of raffle prizes! For more information visit www.tjoridelikeananimal2010.com

TJO Awarded ASPCA Grant

TJ O’Connor Animal Control and Adoption Center (TJO) has recently received a $10,000 grant from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). This grant is specified for use for spaying and neutering dogs and cats at Dakin Pioneer Valley Humane Society’s Community Spay Neuter Clinic.

The assistance that the ASPCA is providing to our animals comes at a time of critical need. With municipalities forced to make difficult budget cuts, we are extraordinarily grateful for this financial gift. We are working to stretch every donated dollar to its absolute maximum.

By choosing to have many of our spay or neuter surgeries performed at DPVHS’ Community Spay Neuter Clinic, we are expending this grant money in the most resourceful manner. This clinic offers reduced cost sterilization surgeries in a very safe, professional and kind environment.

Two paws up to the ASPCA for the generous assistance they have provided to TJO and our animals. They are helping us to achieve our goal of EVERY dog and cat being spayed or neutered before leaving to their adoptive homes. That is the only way to ensure that our adopted animals do not add to the already staggering problem of animal homelessness.

Thank you ASPCA!

Training for Handling Fearful Dogs

Global Wildlife Resources will be teaching a three day course specifically for the animal control officer, shelter worker, and disaster responder. This is the most extensive course in handling fearful dogs. This is essential for professionals addressing hoarding cases, responding to disasters, handling fearful dogs in shelters, assisting with trap/neuter/release programs, and rescuing dogs in general.

Thanks to All Who Donate

All of us at TJO would like to thank the countless animal lovers in our community that continually come through for the animals in our care time and time again! You never let us or the animals down. No matter what our needs are, all we have to do is ask and there you are. You bring comfortable bedding, canned cat and dog food, bleach, laundry soap, toys, rawhide, paper towels and so much more. For every wish list item you donate, it frees up money for us to spend on spay/neuter, vaccinations, microchips and other needs critical to the animals’ well being.

It is amazing to come to the shelter each day and be met with donated bags of bedding, jars of peanut butter, gallons of bleach, bags of rawhide and more. Many of you come before or after hours to support us and we often never learn your name or have an opportunity to thank you in person. I hope you experience the same warm fuzzy feelings that our staff does when we see all the goodies coming in for the animals. Thank you from the bottoms of our hearts for helping to make the animals’ temporary stay at TJO feel like their home away from home as much as possible. We simply could not do it without you.

With deepest appreciation,
The Staff at TJO

New Hours

Beginning the week of June 1st, the Adoption Center will be open each Thursday evening until 7:00pm. It is our goal to increase adoptions by remaining open later for working families.

Because we have also experienced staff reductions, we will be closed on Mondays so that we may shift our remaining staff later into the work week.

Adoption Center hours:

Tuesday 12:00-4:00

Wednesday 12:00-4:00

Thursday 2:00-7:00

Friday 12:00-4:00

Saturday 12:00-4:00

Closed Sundays, Mondays and holidays

Field response is available 24 hours each day.

TJO Foundation

We receive a lot of questions about the role of the TJO Foundation, our 501c3 charitable giving organization. The TJO Foundation is a fundraising organization that is completely separate from our municipal finances and is governed by a board of directors. We are fortunate to have a group of animal lovers on our board who work tirelessly on behalf of TJO animals.

More than ever, we have been asking the TJO Foundation to support our basic operational needs. Our municipal budget has been drastically reduced and our ability to provide the essentials to animals in our care has been greatly compromised. We worry our budget dollars may no longer stretch far enough to provide for basics like vaccines, antibiotics, or even food for our sheltered animals.

The recent closing of the Western New England MSPCA Adoption Center compounds our concern. It’s always been challenging for us to care for 3500 animals each year, and sadly, we anticipate assisting over 7000 animals in the coming year because the MSPCA is no longer operational in this area. We will experience additional reductions in next year’s city budget which has already negatively affected both operational and staffing dollars. It is devastating news and happening at the worst possible time.

Your gift to the TJO Foundation will help to buy a vaccine for a kitten, feed a rowdy pup, or provide dental care to a senior animal.

A $100 contribution will feed every animal in our shelter for a week or beyond thanks to the Hill’s Science Diet shelter feeding program. The program provides free high-quality food for shelter animals; we only pay shipping costs.

A donation of $50 will spay or neuter a new companion for an elderly resident. It doesn’t take much to make a big difference in the lives of animals during their phase of homelessness. As always, contributions to the TJO Foundation are tax-deductible.

If you can help, please visit our DONATE page. From the animals of TJO, thank you for all you do.

Needed items:

Humane traps (cat size), kitty 'stretch' collars, nail trimmers, bleach and laundry detergent, rawhide and other long-lasting chew toys for dogs, gift cards from various retailers so we can get items as needed.

We are in need of a couple of luxury items. An autoclave would speed up our spay/neuter abilities. We are also in need of a projector so that we can provide better educational abilities for our staff, volunteers and publicly offered seminars.

As always, we are sincerely grateful for your continued support.

Look at our dedicated volunteers with our available dogs up for adoption!

PAWS IN THE PARK!

CHECK OUT OUR VIDEOS!

FOSTER HOMES NEEDED: A significant number of animals arrive at the Center not quite ready for the adoption floor. We have animals with minor injuries, or all too often, moms with underage litters. We are most desperate for foster opportunities for moms and young kittens, or underage orphan kittens without their mothers. Less often, there is a need for foster homes for pups with or without their mothers. An animal shelter is not the best place for young animals to grow up. That's why they need a small space in your home for a week, or maybe a month. If you would like to know more about our foster program, please contact the Adoption Center at 886-5188. It will make all the difference for an animal in need. Foster care application

DOG PARK FOR THE SPRINGFIELD AREA? DogParksWMA (Dog Parks Western MA) is a group of dedicated and enthusiastic dog owners (and non-owners) who would like to establish safe, off-leash areas for dogs and their people to enjoy in the Springfield area. The Thomas J. O'Connor Animal Control and Adoption Center is proud to support this important endeavor. Dog parks serve to promote responsible dog ownership, reduce the number of nuisance dog complaints, and bring members of the community together in a safe and educational environment. Click here for more information about dog parks.

Animal Control Officer Erick went above and beyond to rescue two kittens and an adult cat from certain death when they were dumped in raw sewerage at Bondi's Island.

The law enforcement division of the MSPCA is offering a $1000.00 reward leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for this outrageous act of animal cruelty.

Bill and Louise of Springfield Making a Donation!