Foster Volunteer
At Dorchester Paws, volunteers and foster heroes are truly members of the family. They are part of the journey from victim to victory, helping to save lives by providing love and care to the thousands of animals who come to Dorchester Paws each year.
Please complete the application here to become a foster hero!
Maybe she’s born with it, maybe it’s Maybelline
Maybelline, a deaf pit bull, was originally brought in to Dorchester Paws by Animal Control on May 29th, 2013. She was adopted shortly after and all seemed to be going well. In January of 2014 she suddenly reappeared at the shelter as a “stray.” She had been dumped in a neighbor’s yard. While our staff was sad to learn of her return, they welcomed her back with open arms. This time her stay at the shelter was much longer and surpassed six months in length. Maybelline was adopted, for a second time, on July 6th, 2014. Animals came and went, but Maybelline did not return.
Four years later Maybelline was brought in as an owner surrender, she was not doing well with their other pets. Dorchester Paws was determined to find Maybelline the perfect home, one where she would be the only animal and never abandoned. Discouraged by being returned to the shelter once more, Maybelline quickly began to show signs of deterioration. She would spend her days intensely watching shadows on her kennel walls. Knowing this was a sign of behavioral distress, staff quickly began to search for a long term foster.
In March of 2019 Maybelline found a foster family who worked magic on getting her use to strangers. They were falling in love with her more and more every day. Stating that she enjoyed going on walks, behaved wonderfully on a leash and loved having her belly rubbed. Her foster family made the adoption official on May 18th, 2019.
While we will miss seeing Maybelline’s smiling face, we hope she won’t be visiting us at the shelter again! Congratulations Maybelline on finding your final forever family. It costs Dorchester Paws $25 to provide a single day of care. While the average length of stay for animals at our shelter is 17 days, some animals, like Maybelline, need extra time in order to find their perfect fit.
20th Annual Oyster Roast
Thank You to Our Corporate Partners:
Thank You to Our Silver Sponsors:
Thank You to Our Bronze Sponsors:
Thank You to Our Supporters:
Lost & Found Pets
Lost a Pet?
Is your pet missing? Here’s what you should do:
- Check in person to see if your pet was turned in as a stray. This is the fastest way to ensure your pet returns home. You should check back every 2-3 days until you find your pet.
- File a Lost Pet Report. If you visit the shelter in person, we will have you fill one of these out before looking for your pet. This will help us keep an eye out if your pet is turned in later.
- If your pet is microchipped, contact the microchip company to ensure that your contact information is current.
- Post flyers around the area where your pet was lost. Be sure to include a color picture and date/area where they went missing.
- Keep an eye on Craigslist, Facebook and local newspapers.
- Post your pet on Finding Rover to reach a larger network.
Please bring one of the following as proof of ownership: rabies certificate, veterinary records, photo(s).
Stray animals with no microchip are held for 5 days. Stray animals with a microchip are held for 14 days before they may be adopted by a new family. It’s important to check back regularly.
There are fees to reclaim your pet, including a $25 per day room & board fee. Fees vary depending on how your animal was brought to the shelter, length of stay and procedures required by law prior to being released from custody.
Fees:
- 1st Offense: $75.00
- 2nd Offense: $125.00
- 3rd Offense: $200.00
- Room and Board: $25/day
Found a Pet?
Did you find a stray cat or dog in your community? Here’s what you should do:
- Visit a local veterinary office or Dorchester Paws to have the pet scanned for a microchip.
- Visit Dorchester Paws and have someone look through recent lost pet reports to see if someone is looking for the pet you found.
- File a Found Pet Report at Dorchester Paws.
- Post flyers at local veterinary offices, pet shops and animal shelters.
- You can also try searching Craigslist Lost & Found or checking local lost pet pages on Facebook.
- Post the pet on Finding Rover to reach a larger network.
If you are unable to care for the pet that you’ve found while you try to find its owner, stray pets can be turned in to Dorchester Paws during our hours of operation for admissions. Please note, our admissions department is closed on Sundays for any strays or animals found.
Leaving a Found Pet at Dorchester Paws
When you arrive at Dorchester Paws, please enter our admissions office through the front of the building. Our staff will ask you questions about where and when the animal was found, explain the admitting process and how you can further assist finding the pet’s home.
If the animal appears sick, injured or aggressive, please call Dorchester County Animal Control immediately at (843) 563-0015.
Do not leave an animal at Dorchester Paws after hours. If you are unable to care for a pet you have found until morning, please call Dorchester County Animal Control.
