BARCS E-News "Scoop"

Adopt a cat for only $1 at BARCS!

Welcome to the latest edition of the BARCS E-News "Scoop," an update on the happenings at the Baltimore Animal Rescue & Care Shelter.  Please forward the Scoop to your friends and family - help spread the word about BARCS!  Thank you for supporting the largest animal shelter in the Baltimore area and the second largest in the state of Maryland! 

Happy "Mew" Year!  As we look back at 2009, everyone here at BARCS is thankful for the support of the community in helping us care for homeless animals.  In 2009, we adopted 2,869 animals into new homes!  That's a 47% increase over 2008!  We could not have done this without your help!  Get the latest BARCS news by following us online on Facebook, MySpace or Twitter!  We recently reached 1,000 fans on our Facebook Page!

In this Issue:

- Save the Date for a wonderful BARCS fundraiser coming in June!
- Check out the Winter Wonderland Adoption Special!
- Read the latest BARCS Happy Tail!
- BARCS gives Thanks!
- Learn how you can shop for your pets and help BARCS!
- Promote your business while supporting BARCS!
- Check out all of BARCS upcoming events

It's a Winter Wonderland at BARCS!

BARCS is celebrating the season with a “Winter Wonderland" adoption special.  Now through the end of the month, select animals will be available for adoption for ONLY ONE DOLLAR!.   The animals selected for this promotion have been at BARCS the longest and they will be designated with a snowflake symbol at the shelter and highlighted on PetPoint.  So stop by BARCS to adopt that special new family member you've been thinking about.  We have several hundred dogs and cats ready right now for adoption!  Please note: Normal adoption procedures apply and there is an additional $10 pet license fee for Baltimore City residents.

What: BARCS Winter Wonderland Special
Where: BARCS of course!
When: Now through the end of January
Cost: Select animals only ONE Dollar!

Email us with questions. If you can’t adopt a pet, please consider donating or volunteering for BARCS.

Jaxx

BARCS Happy Tail!

BARCS often receives letters from people who have adopted from our shelter.  We love to hear about BARCS alumni!  If you have a "Happy Tail" to share in our newsletter or online, please send us a note along with a photo of your pet.  Below is a recent "Happy Tail" about Macy and her new adoptive parents Craig and Kelly Pfeifer:

Macy (pictured left and formerly known as Sadie), is a beautiful one- to two-year-old beagle. She was surrendered by her owners to BARCS in March, 2009. She had been adopted from an animal shelter on the Eastern Shore a few months earlier and was undergoing treatment for both heartworm and Lyme disease at the time of her surrender.

Craig and Kelly Pfeifer, long-time beagle lovers who live in Baltimore City, had a nine-year-old beagle at home (Rocky) and had recently lost another beagle to complications from epilepsy. They had just decided they might be ready to again rescue a beagle when they learned that two beagles had arrived at BARCS. They met both dogs and knew immediately that Macy was the one for their family. She came up to both of them and asked with her hazel hound-dog eyes to be petted and loved, and was as sweet as a dog could possibly be. She also showed some spunk and they could tell she would be playful and spirited as well. Wanting to make sure their other dog agreed with their assessment, they brought Rocky to BARCS and introduced the dogs to one another. It was clearly a match made in heaven, and they adopted Macy that day.

"Macy has been a wonderful addition to our family," Kelly says. "She loves to run around our yard and chase squirrels and rabbits, and she's also a fabulous lap dog who loves to snuggle and simply be loved." The Pfeifers report that Macy loves other dogs and taking long walks, and enjoys chewing on a good bone. "We are so grateful to BARCS for taking her in and for providing her with such loving care. We can't imagine life without Macy, and we'll always keep BARCS in our hearts as the wonderful organization that helped us bring her home."

Kelly Pfeifer is a BARCS Board Member

Paws Up for our Volunteers!

Thank you to everyone who helps BARCS!  We depend so much on donations and volunteers and could not do what we do without you. Here are a few groups we would like to give a special shout-out to: 

-- The entire legal department of Corporate Office Properties Trust (COPT) spent half a day cleaning at the shelter.  COPT is a real estate investment trust based in Columbia.  COPT has a program where every member of the company is paid for a day every year to perform community service.  The employee can choose how to spend the day.  Many choose to do so in teams.  Ivy Burg, who is a Board member at BARCS is Vice President and Associate General Counsel at COPT.  Knowing how much BARCS means to her, the staff chose to volunteer at BARCS on December 16th.

-- With help from school staff and parents, children at the Solley School Aged Child Care made homemade dog treats for the shelter dogs at BARCS and collected over 50 items from the shelter’s wish list.  The children are ages 5 to 12.

-- Stacey Zychowka is a BARCS volunteer and a teacher at Resurrection St. Paul School in Ellicott City.  She is an advisor for the Environmental Club at the school.  On December 12th,  members of the club and their parents visited BARCS to deliver items from the shelter wish list.  They were given a presentation about the work of the shelter and a shelter tour.

Thanks COPT!

Thank you St. Paul School!

The BARCS Pet Shop is now open!

BARCS has partnered with Pet Junkie, a company dedicated to those who have a genuine love for animals.  Please shop our BARCS on-line store.  Every time you shop, 35% of your sales total will go to BARCS!  Pet Junkie offers an exclusive line of unique pet products for furry friends and those who love them.  Shopping is fun and easy.  You can also host your own home party, catalog party, or website party to help benefit our organization.  In return for being the host, you will earn free products and 35% of your sales goes to BARCS!  Contact Denise Smallman-Chilcoat at denisepetjunkie@yahoo.com if you would like to host a Pet Junkie party to benefit BARCS. 

Adopt Jumper!

BARCS Sponsorships!

Promote your business while supporting a good cause!  BARCS offers several corporate sponsorship opportunities for programs and events like our annual fundraiser BARCStoberfest.  For more information, email Mary Helfrich at mary.helfrich@baltimorecity.gov or call her at 410-396-4695.