Director
Amanda Kennedy is director of Animal Care and Control. She has worked in a variety of animal welfare settings spanning from nationally recognized animal welfare agencies to local police departments. She possesses an exceptionally diverse knowledge of animal welfare and has proven her ability in managing the proper care of animals while managing staff to attain positive outcomes. She has led animal shelters through positive change, built strong community relations, provided humane education to adults and youth, enforced animal cruelty laws, and developed emergency response protocols for animal rescue and sheltering.
Kennedy worked with the ASPCA’s Field Investigation and Disaster Response Team as a shelter director on national law enforcement and disaster response operations. Kennedy developed and implemented protocols for sheltering animals in a temporary shelter while utilizing staff made up of temporary workers, consultants, and volunteers. While the care of the animals and the protection of evidence in law enforcement cases was her primary focus, she also worked to build a strong team with compassion for animals and each other. She credits much of the success in this role to the community- and team-building efforts. Before her national work, Kennedy was the Director of MSPCA’s Animal Care and Adoption Center in Boston, supporting the busy open admission shelter, adoption program, acclaimed dog training program, highly trained and valuable volunteers, humane education, low-cost spay/neuter services as well as the agency’s law enforcement and advocacy departments. In this role, she partnered with a variety of other organizations including local and surrounding animal control departments and shelters.
Our Animal Control Officers enforce legal ordinances and laws governing animals. The officers inspect licensed animal kennels, veterinarian hospitals, pet groomers, and special animal exhibitions. They also investigate cases of animal abuse.
The City also runs its own Animal Shelter in Roslindale staffed by a full-time veterinarian. Adoption hours for the shelter are Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Call 617-635-1800 for adoption information.