When we welcome a pet into our home and family, we generally expect to care for that animal throughout the days of its life. It’s a two-way contract of sorts: we feed and care for them, and they give us unconditional love and bring light into our lives.
But what happens when a pet owner’s terminal illness and death leave a beloved dog or cat with no home and no one to care for it?
By late spring of 2024, Baltimore County area pet owners in such dire circumstances will have a viable solution for their furry loved ones.
“We get a lot of people who are going into hospice, and they can’t take their pet,” says Andrew S. Levine, board president of the Baltimore Humane Society. “That’s got to be the most agonizing thing.”
This August, the BHS will begin the renovation and restoration of the circa-1860s colonial stone house where Elsie Seeger Barton, the organization’s founder, lived until her death in May of 1983 at age 97. Situated on a 365-acre protected wildlife sanctuary in Reisterstown that the founder left to the BHS in her will, the Barton House will accommodate dogs and cats whose owners can no longer care for them due to their own poor health situations and other personal crises.
“We are in the midst of finalizing our architectural plans,” says Levine, who notes that the project entails the restoration, renovation and construction of a new wing.
“There’s a lot that goes into this, because we could have up to 20 dogs and 20 cats in the house at one time,” he says. “We’re putting an addition on the top for the cats, the bottom floor will be for the dogs, and we’ll have staff living there, too.”
When all is said and done, Levine says he expects the total square footage of the renovated residence to be approximately 6,000 square feet.
“We will be restoring the original floors, exterior stone and renovating the remaining interior to be pet-friendly so we can safely and happily house dogs and cats in an open living environment,” he says. “Each and every day, we’ll have a volunteer drive the pet to the person while they’re in hospice.”
When the pet owner passes away, the BHS will strive to find a permanent home for the animal, Levine says. “The pet will never see a shelter,” he says.
Founded in 1927 as the Humane Society of Baltimore County, the BHS — headquartered at 1601 Nicodemus Rd. in Reisterstown — is a private, nonprofit, no-kill shelter. Its mission is to provide homes, refuge and care for homeless animals; to end the euthanasia of healthy adoptable animals by offering affordable spay/neuter and wellness services; to educate the community about the humane treatment of animals; and to ensure that a peaceful final resting place for pets is maintained at the organization’s memorial park.
“The Baltimore Humane Society was founded to protect our region’s pets and to address and prevent their suffering,” reads the BHS website. “All of our efforts are centered around one word … ‘humane.’”
Levine says he believes the Barton House Project is something that has never been attempted previously by an animal welfare organization, and he is committed to getting the word out to the community. The BHS is raising funds for the project, which is expected to cost approximately $1.1 million.
“Naming opportunities will be available that donors will be very proud to be a part of,” says Levine. “The difficult part of this fundraising project is that we highly depend on financial donations for our shelter operations to care for the animals.”
Funding for the Barton House Project is separate from the general operational budget required to run shelter operations such as the Bmore Kind Pet Food Bank, the spay/neuter and wellness clinic, the BHS Memorial Park cemetery services and bereavement support services, and other endeavors and services.
Levine offers high praise to the BHS staff and its corps of committed volunteers for their tireless service — from intake to adoption — to animals and pet owners in the community. He says the Barton House Project would not be possible without them. In addition, staff and volunteers work hard to find “forever homes” for rescue pets from kill shelters, Levine says.
“Depending on the year, we adopt out between 1,300 to 1,500 animals a year,” Levine says. “And it’s not just about adoption, it’s about keeping families together. When people can’t afford pet food or [regularly priced] vet services, we offer it so they don’t have to give up their pets.
“[The staff and volunteers] do a fabulous job,” he says. “It’s amazing and it’s stressful. They’re the reason we’re able to grow into this type of project. There’s so much that we do with these animals that no other shelter does. I can’t be prouder of what they do. They just love animals. That’s why they’re there every day. They take care of them, whether it’s a storm, a blizzard, COVID. … We go above and beyond.”
For information, visit bmorehumane.org.
Spending on "hasbara" should be “like investing in jets, bombs and missile interceptors,” argues Israel’s foreign minister.
Presented by Jews United for Justice and a consortium of local synagogues, "Beyond Welcoming the Stranger" offered a Jewish approach to helping immigrants.
John Singer wants to help Marylanders of all economic backgrounds to afford ankle foot orthoses.
At Krieger Schechter Day School, joining in the later elementary or middle school isn’t a setback -- it’s a launch pad.