EverythingDogBlog: Rachel Ray and the ASPCA Give BARCS a Chance

October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month

For the third year in a row, the ASPCA and animal lover Rachel Ray have challenged animal shelters across the country to create new programs and adopt out more animals then the previous year.

BARCS, the Baltimore Animal and Rescue Center and Shelter, is rising to the occasion. Beginning in August and through the end of this month, BARCS is waiving adoption fees! This means that more people can adopt a best friend, more animals will find a new forever home, and more of Baltimore will be happy!

Contest rules differ for each shelter based upon size: BARCS needs to adopt out 1679 animals in the three-month period from August through October, at least 300 more than last year. They can do it with your help!

Two-thirds of the way through the contest period, at the end of September, BARCS was in second place in the NorthEast Region and very very close behind the first place shelter.

Let’s help BARCS win the $100,000 challenge they so deserve. Let’s help more deserving animals find new homes. Together we can do it!

Additional prizes include $5,000 for adopting out more than 300 animals in the time frame: BARCS is a shoe-in for this one.

BARCS, An Oasis in Downtown Baltimore

I had tried to find BARCS numerous times when I drove into Baltimore on business – looked it up on maps and still had trouble. When I finally found the shelter, I thought, “What is an animal shelter doing in an industrial part of town by the stadiums, the freeways, the water?”

But, I found an oasis in the middle of urbanity and, as I drove in, I immediately felt calmed and pleasantly excited! All the shelter workers and volunteers were helpful, cheerful, and happy to be there. Wow! Lucky dogs and cats!

Local Chi Omega Alums Adopt Dogs and Adopt BARCS

Alumnae of the Chi Omega Women’s College Fraternity, Greater Baltimore Chapter, held their first annual “Fur-raiser” for BARCS at a September barbeque, collecting towels, toys, balls, treats, collars and more – for the very deserving dogs at BARCS. Two alums had recently adopted BARCS dogs (see photo of best friends Stella and Jethro after a hard day of play, courtesy E Roser).

Jethro, finally with his forever-family after being rescued by BARCS, wants to become a therapy dog when he grows up: he is currently a star student in training class and certainly a handsome fella (photos of Jethro with his ‘peeps’ [people], courtesy M Stavrinos).

Jethro loves long walks (or runs) in the park and playing with his furry friends. His favorite treat is that fluffy white stuff he finds inside his toys, as well as anything that smells like peanut butter. (Sound familiar?)

If you would like a best friend like Jethro or Stella, hop on down to BARCS this month!

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And run with BARCS in a Charn City Run this Saturday, October 20th, at Patterson Park in the first “Ready, Set, Sniff” 5K Run or Walk With Your Dog at BARCStober Fest. The fun starts near the Pagoda at 11 am with activities galore for both humans and dogs. For complete information, see http://www.charmcityrun.com/page.cfm?pageid=33&eid=1118.

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BARCS is located at 301 Stockholm St, Baltimore, MD 21230

410-396-4695, Hours: Monday – Friday 2-6 pm, Weekends 11 am - 4 pm

www.BaltimoreAnimalShelter.org