Not Your Average Pet Care

01/28/2025

Hey everyone!

It's that time of year again! The City of Boston is hosting our annual dog Licensing and low-cost rabies clinics! Feel free to email us with any questions: [email protected]!

01/20/2025

I would love all of us to wish Mia, aka The Baby, a very happy THIRTEENTH birthday on Thursday January 23rd.

If anyone would like to send her something, here is her wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/13M2C5SV15O5L?ref_=wl_share

Not that she isn’t spoiled every day 😌.

01/13/2025

This week the Governor signed S.2552 to ban cat declawing, making Massachusetts the 4th state to ban the procedure! Thank you to the Governor and long-time bill sponsor Senator Mark Montigny. The Governor also signed S.2908, which will ban the roadside sales of cats and dogs and prohibit sales of puppies and kittens under 8 weeks. These efforts were led by Senator John Velis, Representative Edward Philips, and Representative Jessica Giannino. These laws will go into effect April 8.

Learn more at https://arl.boston/declaw-bill-passes
Image description: an orange and white cat with their paw stretched out

01/11/2025

Some of the pups are more excited about the snow/cold than others…🤣.

01/01/2025

Ollie’s Law, which was signed by Governor Healey, less than two months ago, is officially now in effect!

And while several aspects of these [dog daycare, boarding and training] regulations are set to be written in the upcoming year, several portions of this law are already in place (as of 12/19/24) and will be enforced by the municipalities.

These in-effect items include:

🐾The setting of maximum numbers of dogs permitted on site/under a kennel license.

🐾Mandated reporting of all dog injuries - and human.

🐾More thorough recordkeeping.

🐾On site maintenance of verification of valid dog licenses for all dogs kept on site.

(This also means that dog owners – you are no longer able to utilize such dog care services absent a dog license from the city/town where your dog resides).

🐾Requirement that dogs on site wear a valid rabies tag at all times.

🐾Municipality process for both issuing kennel licenses-and revoking them, for any non-compliance.

*Licensing, rabies tags and maximum number of dogs, are equally required for all commercial dog play groups, and those operating home or off-site playgroups, under a business practice.

Kennel licenses are mandatory for home care and boarding – even for those operating as agents under apps like ‘Rover’.

We helped to pass this law, which creates a path to regulating the pet care industry in a manner that improves care safety standards to better protects pets.

Massachusetts is a leader in animal protection, and not only is it important to protect pets and pet owners who utilize these pet care practices, but those who engage in operating within this growing and lucrative industry need to know that these measures protect them as well.

We are just about to enter a peak time for dog boarding – Winter Break. Dog owners – please ensure that if you have a reservation to board your dog, that your dog has either a still-valid 2024 dog license, or that your city/town has issued you one for 2025, otherwise, you will not be able to board your dog.

If anyone utilizes a dog daycare, boarding, training, playgroup, or other commercial service, and you are concerned about its legitimacy, licensure, or any unsafe or non-compliant practices being conducted within it, please notify your municipality’s Animal Control Officer. Our job is to uphold the laws that are in place to protect YOUR pets –and it is a job we are proud to do.

[Photo: Ollie]

01/01/2025

Ringing in the New Year with my two sweetie pies! Cheers to a better year! 🥂

01/01/2025

Please be careful everyone! Cheers to a new year!

Be careful tonight

12/25/2024

Many BIG thank you’s to everyone this year! We are so thankful!!

I’m kind of loving doing the pet wishlist! Thank you for helping us spoil our kiddos!

12/15/2024

So many layers 🥶

🤦🏼‍♀️🤣♥️🐾

12/12/2024

🎊Happy Holidays! 🎊

Let’s do something a little different this year!

We have lovely, generous folks every year during the holidays; we appreciate our wonderful clients so much!

If you’d like to do a little something for us, feel free to check out NYAPC’s pet’s wishlist and send treats to Mia (she’s turning 13 on my birthday in January 🥹) & fun things to our critters via the link below!

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/13M2C5SV15O5L?ref_=wl_share

12/08/2024

As the holidays near, we are seeing a lot of festive home decorations as we patrol the neighborhoods and visit with pet owners in need of our services.

While these decors are all lovely and seasonal (and some of the baked goods smell delicious) - please don’t forget that many of these plants, foods and decorations, are unsafe, or even quite dangerous for pets.

These hazards range from chocolate and bread, to tinsel and tree fertilizer, all the way to mistletoe and poinsettias!

Our good friends/colleagues at MSPCA-Angell have put together this great list of Holiday Hazards, in an effort to keep your pets safe and your holidays without incident. It is a worth-read as you prepare your homes for the holiday season.

Please also consider free-roaming cats and wildlife, when decorating and planting outdoors. Animals are curious by nature, which can place them in unknowingly precarious positions. Please report any animals to us that appear sick or injured.

In the event that your pet has ingested something unsafe, or even if you suspect that your pet has gotten into something harmful, please do not hesitate to call your veterinarian, or one of the outstanding emergency veterinary hospitals nearest to our community. We have provided some of these important phone numbers and addresses, just in case – but our hope is that no one needs them.

Perhaps you can print this page and keep it nearby as we further enter and coast through the holiday season.

Our mission, at Dedham Animal Control, is to keep animals safe, and keep our community informed and connected to helpful and vital resources.

Pet Poison Control Hotline 800-213-6680

MSPCA-Angell-Animal Medical Center Emergency Service 617-522-7282
350 South Huntington Ave, Boston

Veterinary Emergency Group 617.729.4446
165 Needham St, Newton

Veterinary Urgent Care Center 781.373.8080
926 Providence Hwy, Dedham

Tufts Veterinary & Emergency Treatment & Specialties 508.668.5454
525 South St, Walpole

Blue Pearl Veterinary Partners 617.284.9777
56 Roland St, Boston

[Photo: A list of Holiday Hazards c/o Angell Animal Medical Center]

12/05/2024

Happy first snow day of the year! ❄️

11/26/2024

Uncle Zach is taking over today while I sit at home with frozen green beans on my swollen face 🤭.

Apparently in your 30’s on a random Tuesday, your wisdom teeth can just decide to be a problem. It really woke up and chose violence this morning, so out it came!

11/19/2024

NYAPC has some shiny new GPS trackers for our hiking dogs!

Thankfully we have never had to use our tracking devices before, but we feel better knowing they are there “just in case”.

11/13/2024

Come out and support one of our local shops, as well as the New England Herpetological Society!

11/08/2024

This is what true love for animals looks like 🥰. It doesn’t matter how many legs they have, or don’t have, it doesn’t matter if they’re furry or not.

This is Zach unboxing his dream snake that he thought was completely unattainable (yall don’t want to know how much fancy snakes can cost, but I am a master at finding deals 😆). This was a complete surprise for him, and he totally deserves it!