The Animal Protection Center of Southeastern Massachusetts (APCSM) is a 50
1(c)(3) education and outreach animal shelter serving Plymouth, Norfolk, and Bristol counties. Since 2009, we have placed over 10,000 animals into forever homes. Our Mission is to operate a managed admission animal care and adoption facility, with focus on prevention of cruelty to animals, education and outreach. The APCSM offers a variety of programs and events throughout the year and we encourage animal lovers of all ages to participate!
11/13/2025
💚ALUMNI UPDATE💚
“It’s been over a year since we adopted Lyla, formerly Tara, on 9/21/24. She’s still one crazy pup and an endless ball of energy who loves to play with anyone who finds their way into our home! She loves following mom everywhere, trying to steal the socks off of dad’s feet, making new friends at daycare, and protecting our home from all the evil squirrels, chipmunks, and rabbits (lol) here are some pictures from her first year in her furever home. Thank you, APCSM 🐾🩷”
We absolutely love this update and all the photos that came with it - Lyla looks like she’s living her absolute best life in this loving home with amazing humans 🫶🏼
⭐️ If you would like to share your APCSM adoption story or any updates, please send us an email
✉️[email protected]
11/12/2025
Reminder that Santa Photos are THIS Saturday, November 15th from 10am-1pm! No appointment necessary, just a $20 donation to the shelter. Open to animals of all kinds, and kids! Please ensure dogs are leashed and cats or other small animals are in carriers. Your children don't need to be leashed, but we won't tell you how to parent.
100% of your donation goes directly to the APCSM. Come make the perfect holiday photo while giving back to animals in need!
See you then!😁
Sat 11/15/25
10am-1pm
1300 W Elm St Ext
Brockton, MA
$20 per photo
11/12/2025
The shelter is in URGENT need of timothy hay and non-clumping cat litter. If you're able to make a donation, please drop off any day of the week order order online through our Chewy or Amazon wish lists. Thank you so much for helping us take care of our rabbits, guinea pigs, and cats - we couldn't do this without you!!
📍1300 West Elm St Extension (Gates open daily from 9am-6pm. Items can be left at front doors. Public hours T, Th, F, Sat & Sun from 1-5 PM)
11/11/2025
We are so confused why Madam Meatball is still here at the shelter! 🍝
This chunky lady has a heart as big as her wiggles, and is a refined meatball with a taste for adventure! Madam Meatball needs an active human who’s ready for lots of walks, playtime, and maybe a few impromptu dance parties in the living room 💃
She’s a true social butterfly when it comes to humans – but when it comes to other dogs, she seems to prefer the company of gentlemen. So, if you’ve got a respectful male dog at home, she might just be his new best gal pal!
If you or someone you know sounds like a good fit for this sophisticated little meatball, come on over during our open hours or reach out to us via phone or email!
📍1300 West Elm St. Ext. Brockton MA 02301
public hours: Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays 1-5pm
(additional hours by appointment)
**closed for Veterans Day 11/11
11/11/2025
The shelter is closed today in observance of Veterans Day 🇺🇸
11/10/2025
💚ALUMNI UPDATE💚
“I’m sharing an update for my mom who adopted Zoey (previously known as Princess) early last spring.
Zoey sure lives the princess life, on the beach. She enjoys sitting on the deck watching nature and passerby’s and going for walks with her mom, as long as it’s not raining.
Zoey loves her quiet days on the beach with her favorite person, my mom. She also is totally up for a family fills house with plenty of friends to play with.”
⭐️ If you would like to share your APCSM adoption story or any updates, please send us an email
✉️[email protected]
11/08/2025
‘tis the season🎄🎁✨
To help supplement our holiday donation drive, we’re launching an online raffle to help boost donations for our shelter animals!
Every ticket you purchase brings us closer to giving the animals at APCSM a better life. With your support, we can provide essential care, warm beds, healthy meals, and a loving environment until each animal finds their forever home!
From exciting prizes like a CAPE COD GETAWAY and local restaurant gift cards, there’s something for everyone – and each entry makes a difference!
Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Animal Protection Center of Southeastern Massachusetts posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.
Let me tell you a story. Way way back in 2009, when the economy was in mid-tank and non-profits across the board were feeling the pinch of people who could volunteer their time, their talent, but not their treasure because, let’s face it, no one had any, the MSPCA was faced with a terrible problem. It simply didn’t have the resources to keep all of its locations open and serving the communities. It was a smart non-profit doing good work but like any organization it needed money to function and animal shelters need more than most. You see, not only do animals have daily needs that can’t be put of if there isn’t enough money for food, litter, or medicines but the amount of personnel required to keep a shelter clean, stocked, and in good working order is mind-boggling.
Faced with this situation and with the great recession continuing into its second year the MSPCA made a difficult choice. They would close 3 of their locations. Brockton, Springfield, and Martha’s Vineyard. This was kind of like the equivalent of a doctor amputating an arm to save the patient and it had to be done but it hit the communities of Southeastern Massachusetts hard, especially Easton and Brockton.
After the initial shock of it wore off a small group of Brockton shelter volunteers started talking and eventually found themselves in the finished basement of one of their own houses. Around the room sat a couple of business people, a veterinarian, the executive director of the Brockton shelter, and a few other dedicated volunteers who began to discuss an alternative plan. Could they, themselves, raise the funds to keep the shelter going as an independent entity? The talk led to research, the research led to a plan, and on October 1, 2009 the Animal Protection Center of Southeastern Massachusetts incorporated as an independent shelter. Our friends at the MSPCA not only blessed the venture but eventually sold us the land the shelter occupied for $1, land it still stands on now.
Today the APCSM is it’s own shelter with no ties to the MSPCA except for a friendly relationship. That’s an important distinction so I’ll say it again. We love them and the work they do but we are NOT the MSPCA. We receive no money from them, no food or supplies, no animals. We cannot use their veterinarians or medicines, their machines or resources. When you donate to them we do not get a dime and when you donate to us it all stays here. We both do good work for animals and we both passionately serve our missions to educate and serve the community. We love them but we’re not them. We’re you.
Our volunteers outnumber our staff 15 to 1. Visit our bake sale? Those are volunteers behind the table, most likely two friends who live in Brockton and Stoughton. That yoga teacher doing Meow-Ga? A volunteer who teaches professionally in Arlington. The lady patiently petting the scared kitty to help socialize her? She comes in from West Bridgewater. The Santa doing our holiday photos? Straight from the North Pole! We love the MSPCA but we are the Animal Protection Center of Southeastern Massachusetts. We are Southeastern Massachusetts’ community animal shelter.
