Reflections on MAC’s First 25 Years

By Anne Lindsay, President

Today – February 12th – is MAC’s 25th birthday!

In 1999 a few Massachusetts animal welfare advocates had attended a conference in Illinois where Richard Avanzino from Maddie’s Fund was talking about available grants – if coalitions would be created with the goal of working toward “no kill”. (This is not a term I like to use today.) Additionally, there was a Boston Globe article on pro-life and pro-choice leaders who were bridging divides. If they could do it, why couldn’t we? 

Here’s a quick synopsis of our first efforts:

• Initial steps in planning the first meeting:
• Compiled a diverse invitee list, including differing viewpoints.
• Conducted confidential interviews to address fears and build trust.
• Distributed key materials: interview results, shared misconceptions, and common goals.
• Enforced ground rules and engaged impartial leadership (Gary Patronek, VMD!).
• Highlights of the first meeting on February 12, 2000:
• Divided attendees into small groups to identify top issues in MA animal welfare.
• Consolidated group findings to create proposed task forces.
• Secured unanimous agreement to form a coalition and establish next steps (e.g., bylaws, mission statement). Interestingly, we decided against prioritizing Maddie’s Fund funding, emphasizing relationship-building instead.

Today, 25 years later, we have three standing programs:

• We offer three MAC educational meetings a year.  
• “Hot Topics,” (dog and cat topic). 
• “All About Dogs” 
• “Whole Cat Workshop” 

Attendance can vary from 35 people to over 150. We will offer a special meeting to allow members and friends to learn more about an issue. For example, since so many MA people responded after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, we held a special meeting so people could debrief, share, cry and heal. When there are questions or concerns about animal-related regulations or actions by the Department of Agriculture, we will have a meeting so people can get the information they need to do their work in the best way. COVID presented many challenges but it introduced the Zoom meeting! Today we hold “Lunch and Learn” meetings and other learning opportunities on Zoom.  

• Our AniMatch Program collaborates with shelters, rescues and animal control officers to move dogs within the state. The program also travels around Massachusetts and offers “Decoding Canine Body Language and Behavior” for animal welfare professionals. Since the inception of the program in 2006, we have provided training for over 1,000 animal advocates and moved over 3400 dogs (and cats) within the state, where they have received the specialized care they needed.

• The I’m Animal Friendly License Plate Program has been in existence for 20 years. The sale of license plates at the RMV provide MAC with a portion of the proceeds from each sale. We hold that money in a restricted account and, once a year, grant out money to organizations for the spaying and neutering of their animals. We have granted out over $3.3 million and over 11,000 “pet plates” have been sold.  

MAC also has Task Forces, including the newly created FIV/FeLV in Massachusetts Task Force, which came out of the November 2024 Whole Cat Workshop discussion.  

We thank some of the early pioneers in the MAC experiment:

• Dee Dennis, longtime animal advocate
• Carter Luke, Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
• Sarah Luick, Animal Legal Defense Fund
• Amy Marder, VMD, New England Veterinary Behavior Consultants
• Richard Myers, PETCO
• Gary Patronek, VMD, Animals and Public Policy Program, Tufts Veterinary School
• Ed Powers, Animal Rescue League of Boston
• And so many more…



We also thank Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts for their ongoing support. A special thanks goes to their Animals and Public Policy Program. This includes Gary Patronek, VMD (until his retirement) and Emily McCobb, DVM, for their vision and unwavering support. Dr. McCobb is now at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine where she accepted the inaugural PetSmart Charities Endowed Chair in Accessible Veterinary Care. We miss her!

MAC has been in existence since February 12, 2000. People come and go, issues come up and some disappear, and some issues won’t go away. MAC continues to try to provide a little something for everyone in this field. When someone says, “What’s MAC got to say about ___?” that means that MAC has become part of the bigger conversation in animal welfare in the State of Massachusetts. We thank our supporters for their love of our animal friends and for the privilege of allowing MAC into their world.  

A Legacy of Service to Massachusetts Animals

by Alice O'Connor & Sarah Luick

Over the past 25 years MAC has produced many solid achievements to meet its mission of improving the lives of Massachusetts companion animals. Numerous board members, friends of MAC and volunteers have contributed to MAC’s accomplishments but let there be no doubt, MAC's success has, in large measure, been due to the leadership and dedication of its founder, Anne Lindsay. 

Anne’s idea of a coalition of animal people from diverse backgrounds with different experiences and perspectives all working together to better the lives of Massachusetts animals was incubated around her dinning room table. Never seeking self-praise, she combined her remarkable people skills and network building abilities to bring her idea to fruition. With her unwavering dedication and energy she helped lead the creation of progressive programming and training opportunities which have helped empower countless animal welfare workers to be their best selves.

Anne has made sure that MAC has kept to it’s core mission all these years and so we, and the thousands of animals that have been helped, say "Thank you Anne, for all your past and ongoing efforts with MAC”.

Thoughts about MAC from MAC members and friends:

"We were the lucky recipients of a spay/neuter grant a few years ago. We also regularly attend any MAC conferences that have to do with dogs. We have learned a lot about training tips and how other rescues/shelters in MA do things. Also loved hearing about previous adoption statistics in MA from a presenation a few years ago. We like meeting the other shelter staff, ACO's, and rescuers in MA."

~ Joanne Wilkinson, Forever Home Rescue New England

"We are deeply grateful for the generous support of the MAC license plate grant. The provided funding made it possible for us to spay and neuter several community-owned pets in 2024, as well as the offspring of their unintended litters, as part of our "Spay Mama Program". Your support has directly impacted the well-being of these pets and provided essential assistance to the families who love them."

~ Cape Ann Animal Aid

"I feel like I can ask MAC anything and not feel like I am being judged. Every time I have a question they either answer or find a resource that can. I love that I have that at my fingertips."

~Joyce Keyes Standish Humane Society

"I have been involved with MAC since the beginning and I truly believe that our national reputation in Massachusetts as being "ahead" of other parts of the country with regard to animal welfare is due to MAC and the efforts of Anne Lindsey and other long standing board members. MAC has given us a "sandbox" for all folks to get together to be unified in our efforts for creating a humane community. MAC embraces individuals, municipalities, large humane societies, veterinarians/techs, rescues and really anyone. Due to the MAC meetings(especially the Whole Cat Workshop) and being on the board- lifelong connections have been made with folks I most likely would have never connected with during my 30+ years of being involved with the welfare of cats. Thank you MAC!"

~ Stacy LeBaron, Community Cats Podcast

"As a recipient of MAC's Pet License Plate grant, it's been an invaluable resource to offer our community members in under-resourced areas access to spay and neuter services for their pets' health and wellbeing. Our team members enter this line of work because they want to help pets and their people, this program always us to be able to say "yes" when people are facing trying times and want to do right by their pet. It not only means great deal to those being helped and to help curb pet overpopulation, but also empowers our team members to help others when situations arise."

~Stacey Price - Director of Development and Marketing

"MAC has brought together a variety of organizations that never would have sat in the same room before MAC existed ! Amazing what is accomplished when leaving difference aside and working together and understanding the differences without negativity."

~ Anonymous

"MetroWest Humane Society deeply appreciates all the incredible work MAC does to support the Massachusetts animal welfare community. The excellent webinars and in-person seminars MAC offers have been invaluable to our shelter, and we are especially grateful for the spay/neuter grant awarded to MWHS in 2023. This grant was instrumental in enabling us to address additional medical needs for our cats, as it relieved a portion of the financial burden of spay/neuter expenses. Your unwavering commitment to animal welfare continues to make a lasting impact, and we’re honored to work alongside you in this mission."

~MetroWest Humane Society

MAC's Hot Topics Meeting:

What Can We Do About

Lost, Found and Stray Pets?

Some Tried and True Ideas

We have a fantastic lineup of speakers you will not want to miss!

When: Sunday, March 2, 2025

Time: 10 AM to 4 PM

Where: The Agnes Varis Auditorium in the Agnes Varis Campus Center at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts

Legislative Update for the Massachusetts Animal Coalition

by Kara Holmquist

First, the good news!

On December 31 at 1:22 am, the 2023-24 legislative session ended. Animal advocates were in the House and Senate gallery until the end watching the final bills, including animal bills, get enacted and sent to Governor Healey. While the session started slowly, records were set with 5 stand-alone animal bills passing!

Here is a run-down:

• “Ollie’s Law” requires reasonable rules and regulations of dog daycares and boarding kennels. It also adjusted some of the kennel laws and will require municipalities to send a list of kennels to the state, which will help understand the number and types of kennels that exist statewide. A licensing authority must now specify the maximum number of animals allowed in a kennel. A committee will soon be formed by MDAR to work on the regulations. See resources below for more information.
• Decades in the making, the bill to prohibit the use of elephants, big cats, primates, bears, and giraffes in traveling shows in Massachusetts passed in July and took effect on January 1.
• As of January 7, a dog’s breed can no longer be a factor to determine whether a family can adopt or foster children. This bill also removed restrictive language that hindered employees and contractors of human services agencies from reporting suspected animal cruelty.
• Cat declawing unless for a therapeutic purpose will be against the law starting April 8.
• Provisions that ban the sale of animals under 8 weeks and prevent the roadside/outdoor sale of animals take effect on April 8. 

Also in 2024: 

• $100,000 was included for the Mass. Animal Fund in the state budget for the spaying and neutering of animals.
• Recognizing the “link” between animal cruelty and interpersonal violence, harming or threatening to harm an animal was included as part of the definition of “coercive control” in “An Act to Prevent Abuse and Exploitation.” (This law updated and expanded legal language about abuse and also addressed new technology and its use in abusive behavior and sexual harassment.)

• Advocates continued to pass laws in their cities and towns ending the sale of puppies from puppy mills and many other animals raised in large-scale commercial facilities who are sold in pet shops, banning the sale of new fur products, and restricting the use of rodenticides.
• The Governor allowed the beaver, “Nibi,” rehabilitated by Newhouse Wildlife Rescue to remain an educational beaver after attempts at release failed. The Governor’s interest in his fate is very encouraging and hopefully will stop harmful efforts to allow trapping with body-gripping traps and is a good indicator of her positions on other issues that impact wildlife.

Next, what is coming up in 2025:

The 2025-26 legislative session started on January 1. Hearings will start around May and run through the rest of the year. Please ask your state senator and state representative to co-sponsor these bills:

• Pets in Housing: SD817/HD1706: An Act to maintain stable housing for families with pets would increase pet-friendly housing in the state through several changes in our law, primarily impacting state-aided housing and prohibiting breed discrimination by insurance companies.
• Animal Cruelty: SD1108/HD2591: An Act to prevent animal cruelty and SD1398/HD810: An Act enhancing the issuance of citations for cruel conditions for animals would ensure that animals are able to be removed from harmful situations and expand the use of citations for cruel conditions (that currently are just allowed for dogs).
• Dog Breeding: After the removal of minimum standards for dog breeders that was originally part of Ollie’s law, efforts to address this gap in our laws will continue via SD1017/HD2408: An Act relative to updating animal health inspections, which require such regulation.
• Animal Mill to Pet Shop Pipeline: SD552: An Act banning the retail sale of dogs, cats, rabbits, and guinea pigs in pet shops prevents pet stores from selling dogs, cats, rabbits, or guinea pigs, but allows them to partner with a shelter or rescue. There are several other bills that are related (impacting dogs, cats, and rabbits); some of the bills allow existing pet stores to stay but prevent new ones from opening up.

What you can do:

1. Make sure you know who your state representative and state senator are. If you don’t, you can look them up at www.wheredoivotema.com. 
2. Sign up for the MSPCA’s alerts at www.mspca.org/jointheteam to be notified about key dates, events, and when urgent action is needed.
3. Contact your legislators and ask them to co-sponsor bills to protect animals. Learn about these bills as they are filed on the MSPCA’s website, below.

Resources:

• www.mspca.org/advocacy
• It's co-sponsor time and animals need your help! • MSPCA-Angell
• Co-sponsor toolkit
• www.mass.gov/info-details/ollies-law-information

Remember, 501(c)(3)’s can lobby! If you have questions, reach out to Kara Holmquist at the MSPCA at Kholmquist@mspca.org. If you are interested in joining coalitions to help to pass upcoming bills, please let Kara know.

Thank you.

New England Federation of Humane Societies Annual Training Conference 2025

When: March 24, 2025, 8:00 AM - March 26, 2025, 4:00 PM

Where: Boston Marriott Burlington

1 Burlington Mall Road, Burlington, MA 01803

In pricey Boston, choosing between your pet and housing is heartbreakingly common

When people struggle, pets struggle. Here’s how the community can help, according to the head of the Animal Rescue League of Boston.

Upcoming Educational Opportunites from

The Community Cats Podcast

As always, The Community Cats Podcast has incredible content on the way. Click on the link below to see what's coming up including:

• From the Backyard to the Front Page: Building a TNR Movement Certification Workshop Presented by Neighborhood Cats
• TNR Certification Workshop Presented by Neighborhood Cats
• Return-to-Home Certification Workshop Presented by Corinne BourgoinSurrender Prevention Workshop
• Trapper’s Tips & Tricks Certification Workshop Presented by Neighborhood Cats

Shameless Animal Video