The Standish Humane Society (SHS) was founded in 1969 as a non-profit, tax-exempt organization of volunteers dedicated to the care and placement of stray and abandoned pets in southeastern Massachusetts.  Through an active placement and reduced-cost spay/neuter program, Standish Humane Society works to reduce the critical pet overpopulation problem.

Adoption Program

 SHS has a model adoption program, placing approximately 300 cats and kittens annually into carefully screened homes.

Holmes House, Standish’s two-story cat shelter in Duxbury, opened in March 1990. It was named after the late Elizabeth Holmes of Duxbury, founder of SHS and its first president.    Today, approximately 60 volunteers provide hands-on care for the many cats sheltered at Holmes House. 

Incoming cats initially live in spacious double-tiered cages.  After an adjustment period, they are allowed to socialize in compatible groups in various shelter rooms. All are given much attention, an immaculately clean environment and nutritious meals.  Each cat at Standish’s shelter is examined by a veterinarian, tested for feline leukemia and feline immune deficiency virus, vaccinated for distemper, rabies, and upper-respiratory disease, wormed and sterilized if old enough.  Every cat is also given an application of a topical treatment which kills all fleas within 12 hours, so that the kitty you adopt will be flea-free.  The adoption fee covers only a portion of these expenses. 

Sometimes incoming cats need more extensive veterinary care for injuries and illnesses.  To cover emergency and extended illnesses, a special fund, The Gizmo & Sammy Fund, has been established.

Standish works closely with the area’s animal control officers to place dogs and cats housed in area pounds into qualified homes.  On request from animal control officers, we provide sterilization to pound animals to enhance their adoption possibilities.

With the help of publicity appearing in “Around the Pounds” in The Patriot Ledger, other local papers and Petfinder.com, the community is kept aware of a sample of pets available for adoption throughout the year. This free publicity is important to our placement efforts and a priceless service provided by the local press.

Animal Sheltering Policy

Holmes House has been a tremendous boost to SHS’s efforts to care for and place the many stray and abandoned animals in the South Shore area. The number of cats that Standish helps is greatly increased by an active network of volunteer foster homes which house pregnant cats and cats with unweaned kittens.

The telephone, however, rings constantly, and we are always faced with more needy cats and kittens than we can help.  Standish does not euthanize its sheltered cats, no matter how long one might wait to be adopted.  We wish we could help each and every needy cat, but we have a commitment to those already in our care.     We appreciate your understanding of our limitations.

Reduced-Cost Spay/Neuter Program

In an attempt to alleviate the tragic problem of pet overpopulations, SHS operates a reduced-cost  spay/neuter program for those who cannot afford regular veterinary sterilization fees.   This program is open to qualified pet owners. Twenty veterinary hospitals throughout the region participate in this program, and each year approximately 750 pets are spayed or neutered through this reduced-cost program.

Other Programs

Cat Sponsorship is available for those people who would like to befriend a cat or kitten at Holmes House while it is awaiting adoption. A $15 minimum monthly donation helps toward both veterinary and daily care for the sponsored cat. In return, sponsors receive a photograph and background information on their cat or kitten.  Once that animal is adopted, new information is provided covering the next feline to be sponsored.

Fund Raising is a critical part of SHS’s ability to help the animals in our care and provide sterilization services to needy pet owners.  A Benefit Walk for Animals is held at Wompatuck State Park in Hingham each fall and a Holiday Drawing is held in January

Memorial and Bequests

Two important sources of funding are memorial donations for special remembrance of departed relatives, friends or pets, and bequests left to SHS in a will or trust.

For those who wish to assist SHS with a bequest, include the following in your legal document:

“I give, devise, and bequeath to Standish Humane Society, now or formerly in the town of Duxbury in the state of Massachusetts, the sum of __________ dollars (or otherwise describe the property given) to be used for the general purposes of said organization.”

Membership and Donations

In order to meet the objectives of our non-profit organization, we must depend on sustained and increased support from concerned individuals—the general public.   This support can be made in the form of contributions, volunteer work, memberships or bequests.  All donations are greatly appreciated and help defray the enormous expense of helping needy animals.

Membership levels: