I was looking for a cat, and right from the beginning the staff was very helpful and professional. I picked out a 10 year old tuxedo cat but he needed teeth and gum worK. I was able to pick him up three days later, and the surgery had been done at no charge. The staff was incredibly nice. The woman that went over the paperwork with me was very helpful, and answered all of my questions. If I ever need another pet, I will absolutely use Dakin. read more

‼PSA‼ only take your animal to this facility if it is a perfect outstanding animal. On June 2, 2026, I contacted Dakin Humane Society in Springfield MA about surrendering my dog and was told someone would follow up after I completed their intake paperwork. After reviewing my dog's information, including her anxiety medication and use of a muzzle during vet visits, a staff member called me on June 4 and reassured me multiple times that Dakin could accommodate her. I specifically asked whether they had space for her and whether her anxiety would be an issue, and I was told they would work with her and that euthanasia would not be necessary based on her file. They even made a special exception to schedule the surrender on Saturday, June 6. After my best friend drove my dog and I two hours to the facility, the staff member Lauren is who we met & She immediately focused on my dog's muzzle and informed me that if I surrendered her, she WOULD be euthanized because a "dog requiring a muzzle and medication for vet visits would not do well in this kind of environment." She stated that whoever had previously approved the surrender should have informed me of this sooner. When I asked if we could be present if euthanasia occurred, I was told no and was also told her body would not be released to me for cremation. She also mentioned that they call muzzles "party hats" so it seems to me that they do utilize muzzles at their facility. Throughout the interaction, my dog remained calm, approached Lauren willingly, and showed friendly interest despite being anxious. Lauren refused to interact with my dog. Feeling misled after receiving repeated assurances that Dakin could help her, I chose not to surrender my dog and told Lauren to go F herself & that they could all go F themselves. I believe Dakin has behavioral standards even though I was given multiple reassurances over several days, had my best friend drive my dog and I two hours based on those assurances, and then received completely different information upon arrival. After getting home I read more reviews of this place and they have MULTIPLE stating that they're KILLING and turning away animals because they don't fit their adoption standards. read more

I emailed this place in need of help when I was given five cats suddenly with the female pregnant already . All. I asked was for help with supplies , litter or an extra litter box, kitten supplies anything that could help me keep momma and the babies comfortable while keeping my boys busy and satisfied . They in return told me they could not help with supplies and directed me to their STORE ! They then informed me that I would have to keep all kittens and Mom until they were 7 weeks and THEN SURRENDER THEM AND MOM TO THEIR OFFICE ! So I would essentially do all of the hard work while they would only have to get them adopted out ! Ridiculous thatt i cant even look to my own local animal shelter for resources or help ! read more

Cannot believe the price/fee you charge for an adoption, WHY ...ALMOST A $1000.00 ?? That is how much it cost to buy a pedigree from a groomer ... SHAME ON YOU DAKIN !!! it's your fault these animals are not adopted . You had a half price "SPECIAL" adoption fees last weekend and it was over $500.00 MY GOD.!!! read more

My elderly neighbor brought her beloved dog here because she became too much for her to handle. Four days later she remembered that she forgot to send the pups medicine. She called up and left a message. A few hours later this company called her up and told her no need to worry because the dog was euthanized. This pet was this woman's entire world. They could have just not called, or called and said to mail it ( unnecessarily) of course, instead they chose to devastate this poor elderly woman even further. Despicable. read more

I have had my young male cat Leo, in this clinic for several visits including, neutering, wellness, shots, ear mites and aggression. All the Vets I met are professional in the care they offer and their charges are reasonable compared to Vets in the Connecticut eastern area. Dakin rarely answers their phone but will communicate and arrange an office visit for my cat using email. read more

Dakin Humane Society - Leo, the owner of my home. - Animal Shelters Near Me - Springfield, Massachusetts

Disappointing. The folks I talked to were pleasant enough; I applied, replied to the email to be interviewed, and despite my family and I picking out 4 different possible cats, all had been adopted (including one who showed up on the site about 20 minutes before my interview). I sort of get it, this happens - presumably they're volunteers. Except - Dakin reaches out to say they've updated the site and I should inquire about the current cats - I go back to the site - and the same cats that were already adopted are still on the site (and remained so for almost a week after). Then I get adoption notices for cats I didn't even interview for (even though I never received notices for the cats I officially inquired about). I very much received the impression they wanted to choose a cat for me rather than let our family pick. When I first inquired, I should have been told the pet was adopted, not strung along just to bait and switch me to another cat. Long and short story - they'll waste some amount of your time and energy. I recommend moving on to other rescue groups who are a little more pulled together in their adoption process. read more

We participated in their foster kitten program and Dakin's Staff is absolutely magnificent.

We adopted out two beautiful cats (Manx and Himalayan) and named them Thelma and Louise 12 years ago. They unfortunately passed unexpectedly 6 months ago from an unknown malady and we are looking for 2 more kitties. we will attempt to adopt two from Dakin once more. In the past they were courteous and professional, but it took a lot of time to get through the process of adopting. read more

Amazing. Staff is friendly and professional. Took my two male cats for they neutering and shots. Extremely affordable and easy drop off/pick up. No mistaking who's animal is who's. They give you step by step instructions for before and aftercare. Will be going back to have my female dog spayed. read more

This past November, we adopted 2 8-week old kittens from Dakin and cannot say enough about the process and the people who work and support this facility. The process was very precise and timely. On our adoption day, we were met with a staff that was genuine and caring towards both the pets and their new owners. The advise we were given with regards to getting our new babies successfully and safely acclimated to their new home, while also acclimating to their new dog-sister was right on! We were also given a list of veterinarians, which helped us greatly as we were in the market for a new one to care for our pet family. We found the best on that list!!! I cannot say enough about the Dakin Humane Society and would highly recommend them if you are looking to adopt! THANK YOU!!!! read more

Awful experience. Our dog has some sort of allergy and we have been to this place 5 times and in this time they've done 1 test for ring worm. They recommended an expensive dog food that our dog has been on for 30 days and his skin is getting worse. The doctors ego is so big that he's still telling us it's a food allergy even though the prescription food is all our dog eats now. At this point we've spent the same amount of money here as we would have with a specialist and the results are worse. The doctor needs to stop thinking he knows everything and should have done more tests to narrow down what our dog is allergic to. This place is only good if you have normal dog problems but anything out of the ordinary then you will find yourself in a revolving door of uncertainty. read more

Brought my kitty there! Its was very fast and prompt for my cats spay. I have a very healthy happy kitty! And the instructions for at home care were very clear! read more

What a beautiful operation! We had long been waiting to add a kitten to our family (which already consisted of one mature female feline) and we drove an hour to Springfield chasing this dream. Our day began with perusing Dakin's easy-to-use website, oooo-ing and aww-ing over all of the little ones needing adoption, then we hopped in the car and headed west! Dakin's location was easy to navigate to, had loads of parking, and had the looks of a pretty organized operation. Upon stepping inside we saw loads of wonderfully clean and well put together spaces for all sorts of animals available for adoption (cats, dogs, birds, rabbits, and even a snake!). There were a couple very large cat rooms with loads of things to climb, hop on, nap in/on, catch some sun, or squirrel away (was like a cats dream room really). "Spirit cats" (the shy solo type) were in their own quiet space and the number of visitors in here is limited as to control the kitties' stress levels. Really just SO many beautiful felines looking for a home it made my heart melt! You could really tell that this isn't your typical country shelter, the animals are happy here and are well cared for, setting you up for a seamless adoption. I'd have taken them all if I could have, but we were in the market for just the one teensy cat. We walked up to the desk and asked if we could see any currently unclaimed kittens and the lovely young woman behind the desk noted that they actually had just taken in a found box of three males (two grey and one tuxedo) and that while the tux was still available he was currently in surgery for the big snip! She checked with the vets and the manager and they said that we could take him home hours after the operation (commence operation joyful dance). We sorted out paperwork and adoption fees (about $250) with the front and when our little one was ready they brought him out to us in a towel, purring up a storm. Absolutely recommend Dakin for pet adoption! But they're popular, so call ahead and put a deposit down if you see a critter you're interested in! read more

DELETED MY REVIEW A "no kill" shelter that routinely lines up animals and euthanizes them all the time if they are "not adoptable" beware brining your pets here as they will most likely be euthanized if they do not sell. Many friends I know have brought animals here as well which have been euthanized. I have heard countless horror stories from current and past employees detailing the sad days they have to euthanize whole groups of animals. If you are a true animal lover please do not support this cruel organization. read more

This allegedly humane society euthanize a dog less than 24 hours after taking her from her adopters. She was adopted from a rescue in Texas who immediately responded to the Humane Society's email telling them that she would be euthanized today at 10:30 AM. On Christmas Eve. The rescue immediately got to work and found several people that were willing to go and pick her up just to call to arrange that this morning and be notified that she was euthanized yesterday. Her name was marbles. She was 16 months old and her only issue was that she didn't like cats. The shelter literally didn't even take the time to get to know her or attempt to adopt her out even though the rescue, again located in a different state, went above and beyond to find Foster's and people willing to drive to get her. Not humane. Not compassionate. Disgusting. read more

We were promptly greeted by a team of adoption coaches who showed us where to look for our desired pet which was a cat. We looked around at all the available animals but noticed that a few that were online we not out for viewing. They were happy to let us in the office area where those cats were staying in individual rooms. I found the staff friendly and professional. Never did I sense they were all about the money. We ended up picking a cat that didn't have a listed adoption fee. I was pleasantly surprised to see the fee was only $59. I thought that was extremely low considering the cat was up to date on shots, vet checked, fixed, and came microchipped. I did give an additional donation because I wanted too I was never asked or pressured into donating. The process was quick we were in & out and we left with the cat the same day. They double checked everything was fine and even made sure to apply flea treatment that was due the next day before we left. I had looked at a different shelter during my adoption journey and they denied me due to the fact I was honest and said my views on letting a cat go outside would depend on the cats preference. I could tell that Dakin was very much about the cats preference on outdoor living and they didn't hold you a contact saying the cat will only stay indoors. I was also shocked that they actually took the cats preference into consideration when they were feeding it the preferred food that was on the surrender paperwork. They actually bought the cats preferred food and gave it to us with her for no additional cost. I was not aware of this before deciding to donate money on top of my adoption fee. I'm especially glad I did make an a donation. I know the MSPCA has all their cats eating the food they prefer and they pressure you to buy that specific food from them when you adopt plus they pressure you to donate money. I would definitely adopt from Dakin again and I would love to thank Harley's family for surrendering her because she is such a sweet cat! EDIT TO ADD AN UPDATE- It's been a week Harley has adjusted so well. She had her first vet visit today to get established with a local vet. Using the free vet certificate was easy. I love the vet we picked and Harley did fantastic until the dental portion of the visit. She even tolerated the nail trim better than I expected. We picked VCA animal hospital in Lancaster. They were the closest to us and offered full services and amazing hours. The staff was friendly and they sent us home with a very generous welcome gift. I'm looking forward to having them care for Harley in the future. read more

Dakin Humane Society - Animal Shelters Near Me - Springfield, Massachusetts

We went to Dakin to get my dog nala spade. We also asked for a cone, and to get her nails clipped. The cone keeps falling off her head, because it doesn't fit. And they did a TERRIBLE job cutting her nails. Not happy. read more

Dakin Humane Society - Animal Shelters Near Me - Springfield, Massachusetts

An amazing organization that does wonderful things for the animals of this city, state, and even country. I have adopted two cats from here, and everything was great. They take care of all shots and spay and neuter all animals. Adoption is fast and easy. Sometimes they have $5 adoption fees as a promotion when they have too many cats. Staff is real friendly and all volunteers I believe. read more

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Huge inventory of animals ranging from dogs, cats, rats, rabbits, gerbils, chinchillas, and even birds. DHS offers spay/neuter services as well as vaccinations. In addition to accepting animals Dakin also offers clinics and behavioral training too. Staff and volunteers are helpful and friendly. Weekends can get hectic so visit during the week if you can! Tues-Sun: 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Closed Mon read more

Very friendly staff and very kind environment! Although there is a gross throw up smell in the cat pavilion it's understandable to an extent. The cages should be bigger but Dakin is a non profit so it can't really be helped. The staff here are super friendly so are the volunteers! read more

Rescued 2 hamsters and 1 of my rabbits from here. We also got our other rabbit neutered at the Spay/Neuter clinic. There's also a vaccine clinic. Staff is always caring and passionate about what they do. The animals are taken care of well and get a lot of enrichment while waiting for an adopter. There are dog training classes, and this is the only place with a kitten ICU in New England. The volunteers here are dedicated to helping and giving their time. You're welcomed as soon as you walk in the door. There's also another location in Leverett. On the website, the animal listings are up to the minute and you can call to place a hold on an animal. You can also do meet and greets with your current pets to see if they get along. This review by the person without a name is absurd. Dakin absolutely does not "routinely line up animals and euthanize them all the time." That is not even close to the truth. Also, businesses can't delete reviews. That's now how Yelp works. Yelp itself deletes reviews that are threatening or untrue by someone who made it clear that they've never even been there before. Some of these animals stay here for months before finding a home, or are moved to an office or foster home if they're too scared to be on the adoption floor. But they are never killed to make space in the shelter! In fact, Dakin takes in animals from other overcrowded shelters in the area and in the southern states (dixie dogs), and there's a separate room for cats who are afraid of people (spirit cats). When an animal is so sick that their quality of life is poor, sometimes people will bring in their pets for euthanasia. That is the owner's choice, and usually their last option left. The staff is extremely empathetic to these people and usually ends up hugging and crying with them. Open every day except Mondays, 12:30-5:30 Gender neutral bathroom Thrift store for humans and animals Main entrance is on Union Street. Spay/Neuter clinic is on the side of the building on Dale Street. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DakinHumaneSociety/ read more

Dakin Humane Society is an excellent community resource. Not only does Dakin have a wide range of cats, dogs, and small animals but it also offers many different community resources. Programs include low cost spay/neuter, training, SNAP which is a safety plan for animals involved in precarious home situations, and a food bank along with countless resources for keeping a pet when you may think surrendering them is inevitable. One of the reviews addresses the shelter's euthanasia policy. Upon the surrender of an animal, the shelter will ask the person on a surrender form if they would like to be contacted if the animal will be euthanized for a medical or behavioral issue. The current owner has the option to select yes or no and be contacted to discuss options prior to the animal being euthanized. Dakin really is a wonderful shelter and a huge hub for Springfield and surrounding communities. If you have questions, give them a call! They do their very best to get back to everyone as quickly as they can and answer all of your questions. read more

This month is the one year anniversary when Dakin introduced me to my little girl Taylor. Taylor is a mixed 2 year old 1/2 Corgi, 1/2 Aussie Sheppard and the best little dog anyone could ask for - thank you Dakin. read more

Daikin has been there for us without judgement. We took in some stray cats and before we knew it, they were pregnant. They helped get the mommys fixed and find homes for all of the kittens. All of the staff treated the cats with love and kindness. I love Daikin. read more

Our adorable 7 year old guinea pig, Skittles, became very ill and stopped eating and drinking. She was having problems breathing, so we made the very difficult decision to euthanize her. As sad as it was, we took her to Dakin. We were all in tears as she has been a big part of our lives. Eliza, the woman who helped us at Dakin, was very kind and compassionate. She very calmly comforted us and very gently took Skittles. It really helped to know that Skittles was comfortable with Eliza in her last few minutes of life. Dakin is a great organization with very compassionate employees. read more

It's been almost a year since we brought Chubby home. I should have written this sooner, because Dakin was outstanding. The work they do is so important and they do it very well. I can't say enough about the staff. They were all kind, professional, and knowledgeable. I'm so glad we went there and were able to take home such a loving dog. Choosing a pet is a big decision, but I would go to Dakin again in a heart beat. read more

These guys are using a scam company for their microchips. AFTER you get the animal chipped, you find out that 24Petwatch charges for you to change your address, and attempts to scare you into signing up for costly subscriptions. I trusted that Dakin wouldn't steer me wrong, but they did. I'm going to register her numbers with the free registries and hope for the best. Look up other reviews for 24PetWatch, and be alarmed. I don't even want to give them my email address! read more