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Animal Care and Control Shelter

Visit our shelter in Roslindale!

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At our shelter, you can adopt a pet, buy or renew a dog license, file a lost pet report, or bring in a found pet. We also offer low-cost spay and neuter services and provide general help and information about pets and animals.

You can search and find lost pets and stray pets being held at our shelter online, along with other shelters in the Greater Boston area. Interested in adopting a pet? We post our available pets on PetFinder.

If you see a specific pet that you are interested in adopting, please download and fill out our adoption form, list the name of the pet, and email it to animalshelter@boston.gov. You can call us at 617-635-1800 for more information.

Pet adoption application (pdf)

  • 26 Mahler Road
    Roslindale
    Boston, MA 02131
  • 617-635-1800
  • icon-time
    Shelter hours
    Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
    icon-time
    Adoption hours
    Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
  • Contact:
    Animal Care and Control
  • Neighborhood:
    Roslindale

Shelter location

Directions

Directions
  1. Take the orange line to Forest Hills T Station.
  2. Get onto Washington Street and walk towards Roslindale Square.
  3. Walk about half a mile down Washington Street and take the third right onto Mahler Road (dead-end road).
  4. We are the last building on the left.
  1. Rt-3N (South East Expwy) to 95N (US-1S)
  2. You will see a sign reading "Exit 20 to 1-93 S /I-95/Dedham"
  3. Continue onto I-93 S (US-1 S) at Exit 20, and go West for 7.3 miles to I-95 N (US-1 S)
  4. Continue onto I-95 (US-1 S) and go Northwest for 2.1 miles to Exit 15A
  5. You will see a sign reading "Exit 15A to Rt -1A/Dedham"
  6. Bear RIGHT onto off-ramp at Exit 15A to Providence Hwy
  7. Take Providence Hwy ramp and merge with caution
  8. continue onto Providence Hwy North
  9. About 1.5 miles to Washington St. in Dedham
  10. Bear RIGHT onto Washington Street and go Northeast
  11. Follow Washington Street for about 4 miles to Mahler Road
  12. Turn LEFT onto Mahler Road
  13. The shelter is the last building on the left hand side
  1. Take 93 South to exit 11B, Granite Ave.
  2. Take a LEFT at the second set of lights onto GALLIVAN BLVD.
  3. Gallivan Blvd. turns into MORTON STREET
  4. Follow Morton Street until you come to a rotary (a few miles)
  5. Take the 3rd right turn in the rotary (right of overpass) - Forest Hills
  6. Take a LEFT at the second set of lights onto SOUTH STREET
  7. Pass Forest Hills T Station on Left
  8. Take the 3rd RIGHT after passing the station (1/2 mile down) onto MAHLER ROAD (Elite Bodyworks on corner)
  9. Last Building on the left
  10. Enter at the ramp
  1. Get onto Route 9 East.
  2. Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto BOYLSTON ST.
  3. Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto BOYLSTON ST.
  4. Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto HAMMOND POND PKWY.
  5. Enter next roundabout and take 3rd exit onto NEWTON ST. 
  6. (Make sure to take the 3rd exit - it can get confusing because the first exit is the also Newton Street - take the other half).
  7. Stay in the right lane (golf course on left)
  8. Bear RIGHT at the fork (there is a stop sign here but only cars staying to the left have to stop) onto West Roxbury Parkway.
  9. Go straight until you come to another roundabout (rotary)
  10. Take the 3rd exit (follow signs for Faulkand Hospital)
  11. Take the 1st RIGHT onto Allandale Road and follow until the end
  12. Take a LEFT onto Centre Street (Hospital on left)
  13. Take the 1st Exit off the next rotary (Arnold Arboretum on right side)
  14. Take the 1st exit towards Washington Street
  15. Take a RIGHT at the bottom of the ramp (Forest Hills T Station in front). This is South Street and it quickly turns into Washington St.
  16. Pass a car wash/gas station on right
  17. Take the 3rd RIGHT past the car wash onto Mahler Road (Elite Bodyworks on corner)
  18. We are in the last building on the left. Enter at the ramp.
  1. Take Mass Pike East
  2. Take Exit 14 for 95/128 South
  3. Take the Route 9 Exit towards Boston
  4. Follow Rt 9 and get off the Hammond Street Exit (after you pass the Chestnut Hill Mall on your left).
  5. Take a RIGHT at the bottom of the ramp on HAMMOND POND PKWY.
  6. Enter next roundabout and take 3rd exit onto NEWTON ST.(Make sure to take the 3rd exit - it can get confusing because the first exit is the also Newton Street - take the other half).
  7. Stay in the right lane (golf course on left).
  8. Bear RIGHT at the fork (there is a stop sign here but only cars staying to the left have to stop) onto West Roxbury Parkway.
  9. Go straight until you come to another roundabout (rotary) Take the 3rd exit (follow signs for Faulkand Hospital)
  10. Take the 1st RIGHT onto Allandale Road and follow until the end.
  11. Take a LEFT onto Centre Street (Hospital on left).
  12. Take the 1st Exit off the next rotary (Arnold Arboretum on right side)
  13. Take the 1st exit towards Washington Street Take a RIGHT at the bottom of the ramp (Forest Hills T Station in front). This is South Street and it quickly turns into Washington St. Pass a car wash/gas station on right.
  14. Take the 3rd RIGHT past the car wash onto Mahler Road (Elite Bodyworks on corner)
  15. We are in the last building on the left.
  16. Enter at the ramp
  1. Take the ramp towards KENMORE SQ./US-1 S/FENWAY.
  2. Keep RIGHT at the fork in the ramp.
  3. Stay straight to go onto CHARLESGATE W.
  4. Turn RIGHT onto COMMONWEALTH AVE/US-20 W/MA-2 W.
  5. Turn SLIGHT LEFT onto COMMONWEALTH AVE/BEACON ST/US-20 W.
  6. Stay straight to go onto BEACON ST/MA-2 W.
  7. Turn LEFT onto PARK DR.
  8. Turn SLIGHT RIGHT onto RIVERWAY.
  9. RIVERWAY becomes JAMAICAWAY.
  10. JAMAICAWAY becomes ARBORWAY/MA-203 E.
  11. Enter next roundabout and take 2nd exit onto ARBORWAY.
  12. Take the ramp towards FOREST HILLS/ROSLINDALE.
  13. Turn RIGHT onto SOUTH ST.
  14. Stay straight to go onto WASHINGTON ST.
  15. Turn RIGHT onto MAHLER RD.
  16. We are in the last building on the left.
  1. Merge onto JAMAICAWAY.
  2. JAMAICAWAY becomes ARBORWAY/MA-203 E.
  3. Enter next roundabout and take 2nd exit onto ARBORWAY.
  4. Take the ramp towards FOREST HILLS/ROSLINDALE.
  5. Turn RIGHT onto SOUTH ST.
  6. Stay straight to go onto WASHINGTON ST.
  7. Turn RIGHT onto MAHLER RD.
  8. We are in the last building on the left.
  1. Take Market Street towards Brookline
  2. Market Street turns into Chestnut Hill Avenue
  3. Follow through Cleveland Circle until Route 9
  4. Take LEFT onto Route 9
  5. Take first RIGHT onto Lee Street (almost immediately)(reservoir will be on left at this point)
  6. Lee Street turns into Clyde Street
  7. Take a RIGHT at the end onto Newton Street
  8. Newton Street turns into Grove Street
  9. Take a LEFT onto Allandale Road (right after passing gas station on right)
  10. Take LEFT onto Centre Street (Faulkner Hospital on left at this point)
  11. Take 1st Right at Rotary
  12. Take 1st Exit (Forest Hills)
  13. Take a RIGHT at the light onto South Street
  14. South Street immediately turns into Washington Street
  15. Forest Hills T Station on left
  16. Pass one set of lights
  17. Take 3rd RIGHT after light onto Mahler Road (Elite Bodyworks on corner)
  18. Last Building on left
  19. Enter at ramp

Pet Foster Parent Program

By being a pet foster parent, you provide a temporary home for an animal currently in the care of City of Boston Animal Care and Control.

Spaying and neutering info
  • 26 Mahler Road
    Roslindale
    Boston, MA 02131
  • 617-635-1800
  • icon-time
    Shelter hours
    Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.; Saturday 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
    icon-time
    Adoption hours
    Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.
  • Contact:
    Animal Care and Control
  • Neighborhood:
    Roslindale
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