Pet of the Week puts a spotlight on a furry friend who is available for adoption at the Lawrence Humane Society at the time of the article’s publication. According to ASPCA, dog adoption numbers are down nationwide, which adds additional strain on shelters that are already struggling to accommodate high volumes of animals. Lawrence Humane is no exception.
Through Pet of the Week, readers can learn about a pup before they visit the shelter. The featured furball is selected by shelter staff members, who provide all details on the animal’s personality and history.
Thanks to Clear the Shelter, 195 pets have a chance at a new life with loving humans, but some gems, like empty-nester Moilie, are still waiting for their lucky break.
The Lawrence Humane Society’s CTS event lasted Friday through Sunday, Aug. 28 through 30 this year. CTS is a nationwide effort to get shelter animals, including cats and dogs, into homes by waiving all adoption fees.
The 195 fee-waived animals adopted in connection with CTS breaks down to 68 dogs and 127 cats, according to Elina Alterman, chief development officer at the shelter.
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Seven of those animals had their fees waived and were adopted before the event technically started. Those were shyer pets who would have struggled on the adoption floor in the CTS chaos.
This year marks the second-highest adoption rate since LHS started participating in CTS in 2016, following 220 adoptions in 2018. Prior to this year, the shelter’s CTS event was scheduled for one day but was often extended to two.
A hearty team of staff and volunteers worked with 267 potential adopters between Friday and Sunday. With 188 animals adopted during those days, that equates to a 70% adoption rate. That’s more than double the national adoption conversion rate of 31%, per Shelter Animals Count.
“Other than stats, this is always a really emotional event for staff,” Alterman said. “An adoption event of this magnitude requires a LOT of work, a ton of collaboration, and people willing to do tasks and take on roles outside of their normal job descriptions.”
Shannon Wells, the shelter’s executive director, said that CTS is her favorite event of the year, as it underlines LHS’ lifesaving potential.
“One hundred and ninety-five animals have a new chance at a stable home with a forever family,” Wells said. “Some of those were animals who had been waiting a long time for this opportunity. Some are animals that would not have made it out of their shelter of origin if we had not said yes to maximizing the lifesaving this event can yield.”
There are still some pets whose wait continues, like 2-year-old Moilie. She has been at the shelter for around 10 months.
Moilie is a young mama who successfully raised 11 now-adopted puppies. It’s officially her turn to live it up as a “pampered empty nester,” staff said.
Now that she’s able to focus on herself, Moilie likes to challenge herself with tricky hikes and to feel the wind on her ears during a car ride. She won’t say no to a snuggle, but usually won’t hop onto furniture until she’s invited.
Moilie is a Mass Street Mutts favorite, and she’s turned out to be a swimming fan on outings.
“She was super loving with us and gave lots of kisses,” one volunteer said. “She stayed super calm throughout the day and really liked napping with her fish toy.”
Folks describe her as goofy, social, playful and curious.
She’s also a jumper who can hop a fence or pilfer food off the kitchen counter, so she can’t live with small animals like cats and chickens, and leaving food unattended is not recommended.
Moilie can live with kids and happily puts herself to bed in her kennel. She can only live with male dogs, and she’s all about that rough ‘n’ rowdy play style.
Moilie is a pit bull and American bulldog mix. She is spayed, vaccinated and microchipped. Her adoption fee is waived until she finds the right person.
Pet of the Week stars and where they are now
These furry friends are still adoptable:
• ‘Darn good cat’ Graycie loves to survey her kingdom from on high.
• Elf the dog-shark loves going belly-up for tummy rubs.
• Happy-go-lucky Sammy needs someone to raise his spirits.
• Big-hearted Axel knows he’s the best boy.
• Dynamic doggy duo Charli and Bo share one soul.
• Unflappable brindle shepherd mix Cardi B. is not the drama.
Those interested in adopting Moilie can email the Lawrence Humane Society’s adoptions team at [email protected] or call 785-843-6835.
People can also go straight to the shelter at 1805 E. 19th St. to meet her. The Humane Society is open to potential adopters from noon to 6 p.m. every day. People can also sign up for the Mass Street Mutts program to get to a know a dog before adopting.
Potential foster parents can email the Foster Coordinator at [email protected] and fill out an application here. The Lawrence Humane Society provides foster parents with all necessary supplies and food, and they cover bills for medical care, behavioral support and more.
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Wulfe Wulfemeyer (they/them), reporter and news editor, has worked with The Lawrence Times since May 2025. They can be reached at [email protected].
Read their complete bio here. Read their work for the Times here.
More Pets of the Week:
Lawrence Humane Pet of the Week: Moilie still seeks knight in shining armor after Clear the Shelter
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