Dedham Animal Control

06/01/2026

We've been receiving a handful of calls from residents reporting deceased and partial bodies of rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks and mice in their yards. There is a reason for this, especially if you have been seeing foxes and even fox kits on your property.

🦊May and June are peak nesting and rearing season for foxes.

🦊The deceased animals you are finding are most often prey, having been either hunted by a parent fox to feed their kits, or depending on their age, hunting practice 'trophies' by fox kits practicing the skills they need for the future.

🦊While finding deceased wildlife can be unsightly, please consider the natural reason for this activity including the role it plays in biological pest management.

🦊If you are fortunate enough to have a fox family to observe on your property, please cherish this opportunity, while protecting both the foxes and your own pets through awareness, respect, distancing and a little bit of your personal activity modification if necessary.

🦊The worst thing we can do is to unnecessarily create physical conflict between humans, pets and wildlife.

🦊Fox kits only remain secluded in their den for about 4 to 5 weeks before you may see them emerge to play and learn. By late summer the kits will leave the den permanently in search of new territories for themselves.

🦊At such time, if you prefer foxes (and other wildlife) not den and nest on your property in the future-then it is recommended that you seal up/remove the spaces which appeal to them-underneath sheds or decks or within dense brush or wood piles.

🦊It is imperative that you do not seal up any space until you are 100% confident that the site has been vacated, otherwise kits may become trapped and will perish, and/or you may find a desperate fox parent frantically digging to rescue their young, which is not always met with success, although may lead to their recurring search and rescue visits.

🦊Patience, respect and an appreciation that we CAN all safely coexist remains the priority and the lesson.

🦊Please know that wildlife cannot be relocated in Massachusetts, and as the voice for these incredible creatures that do not understand the difference between private property and more appropriate habitat space..."thank you for prioritizing our welfare and we apologize for any short-term inconvenience we may cause while sharing your property".

Video is courtesy of our good friend, Kathryn, whom as you can see is embracing this incredible backyard experience, [reportedly far better entertaining than watching TV!]

05/27/2026

If anyone missed our annual Rabies Vaccine clinic in Dedham two weeks ago, there are still places you can visit for low cost rabies vaccines, thanks to our good friends at City of Boston Animal Care & Control!

Our seventh Dog Licensing & Low-Cost Rabies Clinic of the Year is May 30th!

📅 When: Saturday, May 30th | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
📍 Where: (BCYF) Condon Community Center
200 D St., South Boston

✅ Low-cost rabies vaccinations for dogs and cats
✅ Dog Licensing
✅ No appointment needed – just stop by! Open until supplies last.
✅ Dogs must be on a leash and cats must be in a carrier
✅ To receive a 3-year rabies vaccine, please bring prior proof of rabies vaccination

Questions? Call us at 617-635-1800 or email [email protected].

05/26/2026

We receive a lot of calls related to coyotes, especially during seasons when coyotes are more active and therefore more visible.

For anyone who is interested in learning more about coexisting with coyotes within our communities, we encourage you to register for this upcoming webinar hosted by MassWildlife.

MassWildlife is a tremendous resource for us and we think it's fantastic that they have extended this webinar into a public platform.

If you have been seeing coyotes in your neighborhood and want to learn more about them, join us for a virtual presentation to learn about coexisting with coyotes on Thursday, May 28 at 6 p.m. During this webinar, you will learn about eastern coyote biology, how coyotes use suburban areas, and how eastern Massachusetts communities can take effective steps to coexist with coyotes. Register at bit.ly/coyotes-528

* This webinar will be recorded and a recording link will be sent to all registrants.

05/25/2026

Only 3 days ago-and at the start of this holiday weekend, we asked if anyone was able to donate dog and/or cat food to our Dedham Food Pantry.

WOW...just wow!

Thank you! This speaks volumes about our community, our supporters and friends🐾❤️🐾

Town of Dedham, MA

05/25/2026

Today, we pause to remember and honor the brave men, women-and service animals who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. We are forever grateful for their unwavering courage and dedication. 🇺🇸

05/22/2026

Our 2025 Holiday Pet Food Drive put an incredible six months worth of pet food on the shelves of the Dedham Food Pantry.

But now, with another six months to go before our next holiday drive, the pet food inventory has been depleted.

If you are able to donate any unopened, unexpired bags or cans of [dog and/or cat] food, please contact the Dedham Food Pantry Operations Manager, Becca, to arrange a drop off.

[email protected] or 781.320.9442

Becca is an incredible partner, both to us and to this community, understanding the challenges one can face and always leading with compassion.

To those who are able to contribute, please know that your generosity helps so many pet owners who are facing financial hardships, whom without assistance may become forced to rehome their pets. Our goal is to prevent that from happening.

If you are unable to donate, you can still support this effort by liking and sharing our post! 😊🐾

05/21/2026

A wonderful Dedham resident notified us about this cat, which was handed to her daughter by a female party in front of East Dedham Liquors, yesterday.

If anyone has any information as to whom this cat may belong or the circumstances leading to the cat being 'handing off', please call us. We would like to ensure that this party is ok and if there is something with which we can do to help if she needs assistance in caring for it.

Thank you again, Katie Lugo. We appreciate your compassionate care!

05/21/2026

Update: Owner has been located. Dogs are safe.
……
Anyone recognize these two dogs? We spotted them running down Cedar St., then onto Savin St., and then down Crane St., before they headed into the woods.

Anyone with any owner information or additional sightings is asked to please call us. 781.751.9106

05/20/2026

Another great reminder ahead of the holiday weekend, from our good friends at Massachusetts Veterinary Medical Association!

Supervision, especially near food is the best way to keep pets safe.

And don't forget about the grill drip trays...which the pup pictured here is likely next to sniff out…drip trays collect fat and grease and ingesting this concentration can lead to severe gastrointestinal problems for pets.

Let’s try to keep all of our veterinary partners free from having to treat any pets from preventable and often serious ingestion emergencies!

As people prepare to fire up the grill and host gatherings this Memorial Day weekend, just a few reminders about how you can keep your pets safe as you celebrate.