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The Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS), situated next to the Baltimore Ravens M&T Bank Stadium, has an incredible history of transformation. Just over 10 years ago, 98% of the animals who ended up at BARCS were euthanized. As of 2016, BARCS now saves more than 89% of the animals it receives. A combination of staff members, volunteers and community members come together to keep the shelter running every day.
A day in the life at BARCS includes outside time in the play yard that is closely monitored by the staff and volunteers. Time spent outside is great for the dogs because they get to relax, play with other dogs, enjoy fresh air, and work on their social interaction skills.
Employees at BARCS spend mornings distributing medicine to the animals that need it, which requires a lot of individualized attention and meticulous record-keeping.
Though she didn’t like it much, this sick cat received her daily morning medicine.
Medical staff perform surgery on a cat.
An up-close look at the surgery is just one example of how the staff at BARCS strongly believes in transparency about the facility — they want the public to know what goes on inside and to see how the animals are cared for.
After a recent plea went out on Facebook asking for more cat food, donations came rolling in and had to be stored wherever there was room throughout the facility.
Kathryn L., a level 4 dog volunteer, works with Calli on basic skills to increase her chances of getting adopted.
A volunteer takes pictures of a dog outside to show her personality and up her likability. It can be hard for animals to be adopted when the only image people see is one of them looking sad in their cages.
When animals end up at the shelter, they are checked out, tested for any illnesses, and given proper shots before they can interact with the other animals. Cody A. is a Managed Intake Veterinary Technician who handles this process and gets a first-look at the animals that come in.
While most cats are suited to be adopted into a home as pets, others are assessed to go elsewhere like barns or warehouses. This assessment sometimes means letting a cat hang out in the offices to see how it reacts and socializes in that environment.