Nantucket Island Safe Harbor for Animals

Homeless, abandoned and relinquished pet shelter. NISHA takes in and cares for Nantucket’s stray and surrendered pets, whether given up due to a move or allergies or found wandering the lanes of Nantucket. We will never turn away an animal in need. All incoming animals receive sterilization, vaccines and a microchip before going on to new homes.
Stray Dog Shelter. NISHA is the Town’s contracted stray dog shelter. All lost dogs brought in by Nantucket’s Animal Control Officer or citizens are cared for and safe until their owners can be located. With our public Facebook page and Twitter account, strays go home more quickly than ever.
Adoptions. We find new homes for those pets who can no longer stay with their families. We have a 100% adoption rate for our adoptable animals. Beyond animal care and re-homing, we offer behavior counseling, animal care training, and financial assistance information to pet owners.
Little Mountain Rescue. Stray dogs from Mississippi are vaccinated, sterilized, and spend the required time at an isolation facility before arriving in Nantucket, where they are adopted into loving, lifelong homes. This program not only frees up space in the overcrowded southern shelters and prevents unnecessary euthanasias, but it saves people from supporting pet stores, puppy mills or “backyard breeders.”
Land to Sea Cat Rescue. NISHA helps overcrowded Massachusetts shelters with their overflow of adoptable cats and kittens, finding them loving homes on Nantucket.
Lucky Whiskers and Wags Fund. While all of our animals receive an exam, vaccinations and neutering, NISHA’s Lucky Whiskers and Wags fund covers the costs of “above and beyond” medical expenses for animals needing surgery, medications, or other long-term medical care. Providing this medical treatment is not a luxury; treating medical issues while the animal is in our care is the humane thing to do and makes the pet more adoptable. Thanks to The Carlee Charitable Trust, ASPCA's Lil' Bub's Big Fund, The Community Foundation for Nantucket, and the Michael C. Graham Foundation for funding this invaluable program!
Community Outreach. NISHA visits community groups in order to publicize our services for animals: the Rotary, NHA Brown Bag Lunch series, Sherburne Commons, the Island Fair, Our Island Home, and the Farmer’s Market are all outlets for educating community members about pet overpopulation, the rewards of pet adoption, and the humane treatment of companion animals.
SNIPP: Spay/Neuter Island Pets Program. NISHA offers low-cost sterilizations to island animals. All qualified animals receive a discounted spay or neuter, rabies vaccination and microchip, thereby helping to keep Nantucket’s pet population in check. The M. S. Worthington Foundation and the Cape Cod Foundation Thomas C. McGowan Fund for Animals help to underwrite this community program.
Our SPA Program: We never want a senior to have to relinquish a pet because of a temporary situation or a lack of funds. Thanks to a grant from the Michael C. Graham Foundation, our Seniors with Pets Assistance Fund (SPA), allows our senior citizens to apply for a small grant to cover one-time or ongoing pet-related expenses, like emergency veterinary care, short-term dog walking or boarding services.
Humane Education. NISHA’s Humane Education program focuses on teaching young people the value of humane thinking. Our program includes animal safety, compassionate living, animal adoption and our responsibilities towards our animal companions. Girl Scout troops, summer camps, and school classes are offered programs and shelter tours throughout the year.
Volunteer Program. NISHA offers the opportunity for over 100 volunteers to find a rewarding way to give back to their community. From students needing community service hours to retirees looking for enriching work, all find training, companionship, and fun at our shelter or out in the community. We also have a robust junior volunteer program for youth under 18 who want to regularly volunteer their time to help their island’s animals.