Walk Like A Dog

02/16/2025

We don't like the rain, Lady, can we just get cuddle time??!!

02/11/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/15r2YnzoWg/

🚨 MICROCHIP ALERT FOR PET OWNERS! 🚨

You might have seen that the microchip company Save This Life suddenly ceased operations, leaving many pet microchips unregistered and untraceable.

While BCAS does NOT use chips from this company, if your pet is from another organization, we encourage you to ensure if it is not registered through Save This Life, and if it is, register the chip with another company.

What To Do:
1️⃣ Get Your Pet’s Microchip Number: Check your adoption contract, medical records or call your vet clinic to check with them. You can also use one of our 5 microchip scan stations to get your pet's number- https://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/departments/animal-services/microchipping

2️⃣ Use the AAHA Universal Microchip Lookup Tool to find out which company manufactured your pet's microchip- https://www.aaha.org/for-veterinary-professionals/microchip-search/

3️⃣ Re-Register the Microchip *if it's licensed to Save This Life:
Promptly re-register it with another provider. Baltimore County Animal Services use AKC Reunite and there are free services out there as well.

4️⃣ If you need to microchip your pet, call BCAS at 410-887-7297 to schedule a $10 appointment.

02/03/2025

These boys are lovin' the warmer weather! #

02/02/2025

Luna is checking out the sunrise this morning 🌄

01/30/2025

Happy 9th Birthday to our buddy Bruno!! 🩵 🐾 🐾

01/21/2025

Stay warm this week & keep your pups safe!!

01/16/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/14qjxXWd5He/

Effective immediately, the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS) will temporarily suspend all dog intakes due to a significant uptick in Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex (CIRDC) cases over the past six to eight weeks. Unfortunately, some cases are not responding to treatment and have progressed to pneumonia, requiring extensive treatment and isolation. BARCS medical team will reassess this decision after two weeks.

This temporary suspension will allow our team to decrease the number of dogs in our shelter to focus on isolating and treating affected dogs, conducting additional lab testing, implementing enhanced quarantine protocols, and not exposing new dogs to illnesses. While this disease is not transmissible to other species, its impact on our canine population has been severe, and we must take immediate action to safeguard the health of the animals in our care.

“To save and protect the animals currently in our shelter, it is necessary to pause dog intakes while we focus our resources on treatment and containment,” said Dr. Bobbie Mammato, DVM, MPH and BARCS Chief Medical Officer. “The safest place for a healthy dog right now is with their owner, and we need pet owners and our community to work together to delay surrendering dogs or bringing in lost dogs until BARCS is in a better situation to safely care for them.”

BARCS will continue adoptions and fostering of healthy dogs, and those with mild symptoms who can receive treatment in a quiet, less stressful home environment separated from other dogs. This will not only ensure these animals will remain healthy or heal quicker, it will also decrease stress, illness and potential euthanasia for other animals at the shelter. To ensure the safety of adopters/fosters and their pets, every animal leaving the shelter will receive information about Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex (CIRDC), including a list of symptoms to watch for and guidance on preventing the spread of illness.

To help reduce the spread of illness in the community, BARCS urges pet owners to:

🔴 Keep their pets updated on vaccines.

🔴 Only allow your dog to interact with dogs you know are healthy and have not been exposed to any sick dogs.

🔴 Seek veterinary care promptly if their pet shows signs of illness, such as coughing, nasal discharge or lethargy.

We will update our website and social media channels with information on the situation, including when dog intakes will resume. Thank you for your understanding and support as we navigate this challenging time.

HOW YOU CAN HELP DURING OUR DOG INTAKE CLOSURE

Here are the steps you can take to help reduce the strain on the shelter, provide assistance to your own pets, and support BARCS during this challenging time:

LOST DOGS

Bringing lost dogs to BARCS at this time can put them at unnecessary risk. The majority of lost pets are found only a few blocks from their homes so please take the following steps to help reunite lost pets with their owners:

🔴 Look for Owners: Most lost pets are found close to home. Ask your neighbors if they recognize the pet, post photos on local social media, lost and found pages, places like ring and neighborhood association pages, and pet recovery websites.

🔴 Use Petco Love Lost’s Facial Recognition Tool: Upload a photo of the pet to help identify them and connect with their family (https://petcolove.org/lost/).

🔴 Put Up Flyers: Posting physical flyers in the area can also help alert others to a lost pet.

🔴 Scan for a Microchip: As soon as possible, take the found animal to a local animal hospital or shelter to have them scanned for a microchip. Microchips often contain the owner’s contact information, making reunification faster and less stressful for the pet.

BARCS can offer supplies for you to borrow while you hold onto the pet as supplies last.

REHOMING YOUR DOG: USE THE REHOMING TOOL ON OUR WEBSITE

If you're an owner needing to find a new family for your dog, consider directly rehoming your pet by marketing it on your social media page or using the Rehoming Tool on our website (https://www.barcs.org/rehoming). Rehoming directly to a new home is the best option when you can no longer keep a pet, but especially now while our shelter is at capacity and animals are more vulnerable to illness and stress. This tool lists your dog on our website and allows owners to connect with potential adopters directly, helping pets find new homes in a less stressful environment.

NEED PET RESOURCES? EMAIL US!

If you're struggling to care for your pet due to financial constraints or lack of supplies, we may be able to help. Please email us at [email protected] for information on food, supplies, or other resources to help you keep your pet in your home or if you have other questions. We believe that pets should stay with their families when possible, and we're here to support you.

DONATIONS NEEDED

The increase in illness, treatments, and veterinary care is placing a significant financial strain on BARCS. We need your support now more than ever to continue providing the essential medical care our animals need. Your donations to our Medical Care Fund (https://www.barcs.org/medical-care-fund) will directly contribute to covering the additional costs of medications, testing, medical supplies, and cleaning supplies for the animals in our care.

01/01/2025

Happy New Year!! Hope 2025 is a great year for all of us!!

12/31/2024

Have a safe & Happy New Year!! We are snuggled in with our Dakota for the night! She is not a fan of fireworks 😪

12/31/2024

I'm ready for treats now!

12/25/2024

Merry Christmas & Happy Hanukkah to all our 4 legged friends & their families 🎅

12/11/2024

THE FORGOTTEN DOG'S CHRISTMAS POEM

If you are thinking of getting a puppy or dog this holiday season… puppies are not gifts, they are a lifetime commitment & give unconditional love!

Twas the night before Christmas
when all thru the house not a creature was stirring not even a mouse.

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care in hopes that St. Nick soon would be there.

The children all nestled snug in their beds with no thought of the dog filling their head.

And mom in her kerchief and I in my cap knew the dog was cold, but didn’t care about that.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash figuring the dog was free of his chain and into the trash.

The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow gave the luster of mid-day to objects below.

When what to my wondering eyes should appear but Santa Claus with his eyes full of tears.

He unchained the dog once so lively and quick last year’s Christmas present now painfully sick.

More rapid than eagles he called the dog’s name and the dog ran to him despite all his pain. Now Dasher, now Dancer, now Prancer and V***n on Comet on Cupid on Donner and Blitzen.

To the top of the porch to the top of the wall let’s find this dog a home where he will be loved by all.

I knew in an instant there would be no gifts this year for Santa had made one thing quite clear.

The gift of a dog is not just for the season we had gotten the dog for all the wrong reasons.

In our haste to think of the kids a gift there was one important thing we missed, a dog should be family, and cared for the same. You don’t give a gift, then put it on a chain.

And I heard him explain as he rode out of site, “You weren’t given a gift, you were given a life.”

12/03/2024

Somebody is getting excited for Christmas 🎄 ❤️ Walk Like A Dog

11/28/2024

Thank you for all that you do, we appreciate you very much!! 💙❤️💙❤️ Walk Like A Dog

11/28/2024

Happy Thanksgiving 🦃 Hope everyone has a wonderful day!! Walk Like A Dog

11/11/2024

Thank you for your service to our great country!

10/31/2024

Happy Halloween 🎃 from our friends, Oliver & Emily!!

10/28/2024

Thank you for your service ❤️🤍💙