The Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter Inc. (BARCS) is a nonprofit, open-admission animal shelter that accepts and cares for all animals in need and promotes responsible pet ownership for a more humane community in Baltimore City.

Yes, BARCS is a private 501(c)3 nonprofit organization operating the open-admission animal shelter for Baltimore City. The majority of BARCS’ operating budget, about 80%, is fundraised through private donations by individual donors, events, foundation gifts and grants. Our EIN number is 86-1130456, and we are registered and rated Platinum on GuideStar.

Through our operating agreement with Baltimore City, the City provides BARCS with a grant that covers about 20% of our total budget. Despite growing our nonprofit from a budget of $450K to now $6M, we are still critically underfunded. In fact, a shelter with BARCS’ animal intake volume (11,000-12,000 animals per year) should have an operating budget of $10M.

BARCS has a lot of work and lifesaving to do, and we need your support.

While we share a building, BARCS and Baltimore City Animal Control are two separate organizations. BARCS is a private, nonprofit organization, and the Bureau of Animal Control is an entity of the Baltimore City Health Department. Because Baltimore City Animal Control does not operate a shelter and care facility, those duties are contracted out to BARCS. Animal Control is responsible for health code enforcement (complaints, compliance with laws, etc.) and investigations regarding animal neglect, cruelty and animal bites. BARCS is responsible for all shelter operations and programs, including: housing and care for shelter animals; lost and found; pet licenses; adoptions; volunteer; foster; rescue; providing resources to families with pets in need and low-cost vaccination and microchip clinics. Once Animal Control brings an animal to the shelter, BARCS assumes responsibility for the care of that animal. BARCS also houses and cares for animals being held for Animal Control hearings and investigations.

Each year, over half of the animals that come to BARCS are brought in directly by Baltimore City Animal Control. For example, in 2023, 61% of the 5,292 dogs that entered our shelter were impounded through Baltimore City Animal Control. Despite bringing us well over half of our total dog intake, the City of Baltimore only provides 20% of our annual budget. As a result, BARCS shoulders the weight of fundraising for our lifesaving mission and public services for both the City’s animal control division and direct family-oriented services for Baltimore citizens.

The biggest challenge for BARCS at this time is the significant number of neglected, abused and homeless animals that need our help. In 2023, BARCS provided medical care for 11,023 animals, a 15.8% increase from the 9,520 we cared for in 2022. Specifically, we took in 5,292 dogs in 2023, a 21.5% increase from the 4,266 dogs we took in for 2022.

Most of the time, when animals enter our care, BARCS does not receive their past medical or behavior information. In addition, Baltimore City has the highest poverty rate (between 20%-25% for decades) in Maryland with less than half of our city's population owning their homes. According to the US Census Bureau, the per capita income in BARCS’ highest area of animal intake measures at only $22,120. As more and more residents face these hardships, the rate of animals surrendered or left behind increases proportionately.

The second challenge directly impacting BARCS is the steep rise in medical and veterinary costs. Price inflation on medical supplies, equipment and prescription drugs and a decrease in resources, both in the community and at BARCS’ disposal, are due to the local and national veterinarian shortage. Around the country, costs for medical supplies and equipment for veterinary care have skyrocketed. In turn, veterinary clinics have raised their prices for services, making them less accessible to nonprofit organizations like BARCS. As a result, BARCS has needed to adapt by performing more medical procedures in house. But, when coupled with the always-increasing number of animals who need our help, our costs for internal medical care have grown.

“No-kill” is a popular term used when classifying shelters, rescues and other animal welfare organizations, but it can be confusing and misleading. The definition of a “no-kill” organization, according to the advocates who created it, is one that saves at least 90 percent of the animals that enter its care. Prior to BARCS’ inception, the save rate for the municipally run Baltimore City Shelter was just 2 percent. With community support and new leadership, we dramatically increased the shelter’s live-release rate in BARCS’ first year, and since 2015 the live-release rate has been between 85-90%.

It’s important to think about volume when comparing shelters -- intake numbers can make a huge difference in what the percent actually means. For example, a shelter that takes in 100 animals each year and saves 90 percent (90 animals) has different resources and needs than a shelter that takes in 10,000 animals a year and saves 90 percent (9,000). In addition, even if that shelter had an 89 percent live-release rate, it would not be labeled a “no-kill shelter,” even though that shelter likely took in many more aggressive animals, many more animals with major medical needs, many more animals reaching the end of their lives or, more generally, animals that require more resources then the shelter has available. Labels and numbers simply don’t tell the full story of an organization.

While we don't label ourselves “no-kill,” we work tirelessly within our resources to save all friendly, healthy and treatable animals in our care -- thus embracing the positive philosophies of the movement. Each year, we strive to expand our programs, as well as our funding from private donors and foundations, so that we can save more lives.

As a high-volume, open-admission shelter, we cannot predict what today or tomorrow will bring. It is not uncommon for an open-admission shelter like BARCS to take in extraordinary numbers of animals in a single day. Some recent cases include: 89 large dogs from a dog fighting ring; 83 small-breed dogs from an illegal breeding situation; 147 cats from a hoarding case; and 66 large pythons from a neglectful situation.

Each of these sizable intakes took place within one day and were in addition to our regular daily admissions of more than 30 animals per day. The open-admission structure means that no matter what the circumstance, BARCS takes into our care ALL animals that have no other alternative—regardless of history, health or temperament. That’s 11,000-12,000 animals who need us each year.

We can confidently say that with the expansion and growth of our programs, as well as our reach into, and support from, the Baltimore community, we will continuously strive to save all healthy, friendly, treatable animals. We still have so much work to do in our community to continue to save more animals in the future, and we can only make that happen with the help of our supporters -- through donating, adopting and volunteering.

BARCS is an open-admission shelter that grants refuge to all animals in need. We are the largest animal shelter in the state of Maryland, taking in 11,000-12,000 cats and dogs each year, plus an additional 1,200 exotic, farm and wildlife animals.

On average, 30 or more animals are surrendered or brought to BARCS each day. Our shelter houses more than 250 animals at any given time with an additional 200-600 animals in foster homes depending on the time of the year. Adoptable cats are also housed and cared for at partner pet supply stores in the Greater Baltimore Area.

In addition to the homeless animals we serve, BARCS cares for 5,000 owned pets in Baltimore City per year. We do this through our Keeping Pets With Families Program which provides vaccines, spay/neuter, routine and complex medical treatments, pet supplies and other unique resources needed to prevent surrender.

BARCS has 80 employees (goal of 120) spanning several departments:

Animal care employees provide care for our animals and help adopters find their new or lost companions.

Medical staff members examine, vaccinate, spay/neuter and provide medical care to our homeless animals.

Program staff employees manage our adoption, foster, rescue, training and enrichment, community cats, and volunteer programs.

Resource staff members work with the public to take in lost or homeless animals or to provide resources to help keep pets in their homes. In addition, these staff provide services in neighborhoods that need pet support the most.

Philanthropy and communications staff members manage our fundraising activities and share our successes and struggles with our community.

No, BARCS has a long way to go until we are fully staffed. Currently, we operate with about 65% of the staffing truly needed to best care for our animals and serve Baltimore City pet owners. Our staff members work very hard, and each one plays the role of several workers in a typical shelter environment. With additional staff, we would be able to implement additional programs and improve current programs.

While our employees are extremely dedicated to their work, the demand of caring for so many animals sometimes makes it feel like a crisis environment. To work at BARCS, you have to be willing to multitask and be on your toes at all times, working hard and quickly to save lives. Each year, we hope to raise enough money to add additional staff members and expand our lifesaving programs.

No, BARCS has been operating grossly under budget since our inception. This presents challenges in all aspects of our shelter including animal care, resources and lack of proper staffing to run our programs. National studies and surveys of our shelter conclude that an organization taking in 12,000 per year (like BARCS) should operate annually on a budget of $10M, at a minimum. This fiscal year, BARCS’ budget is comprised of $1.3M from our operating agreement with Baltimore City Animal Control, $4.3M in private donations and about $300,000 in adoption and service fees.

Each year, BARCS must spend every penny we raise because we are so critically underfunded and the animals are counting on us.

Yes, every single day for all different types of jobs! Volunteers are the backbone of our organization. We have nearly 1,000 active volunteers logging 30,000 hours each year. We are so grateful for our dedicated volunteers. Volunteers help in all areas of the shelter, including doing laundry, walking dogs, socializing cats, assisting with events, placing animals in new homes, surgery, fundraising, and much, much more.

We would love for you to join our volunteer family. Please use the "volunteer" section on the website to learn more and sign up!

BARCS gets mixed breed and purebred dogs of all kinds in the shelter throughout the year—approximately 35 new animals daily. In a typical year, 30% of our dogs are considered small breeds and more than 50% are considered small or medium breeds.

It sometimes seems like there are only pit bull-type dogs here because many other breeds get adopted more quickly, often the same day they arrive. Also, our partner rescue groups tend to take small dogs and other breeds more regularly. Allowing rescues to select the animals they want for their programs helps us to save more lives by making room for pets that may be harder to adopt. Pit bull-type dogs are really great companions, but sadly they have been poorly portrayed by the media. We suggest that if you want a specific size or breed of dog, you should come to the shelter frequently so you get the “pick of the litter.”

BARCS adopts on a first come, first serve basis so we can place animals as quickly as possible. This allows us faster turnover of space for the high volume of animals that come to our shelter on a daily basis.

There are several ways to help!

1. BARCS accepts tax-deductible monetary donations to help care for our animals. The highest costs in our annual operating budget, other than salaries, are medical care (vaccinations, antibiotics, preventatives, spay/neuter surgeries, etc.), cleaning and care supplies, and food.

2. You can help by collecting donations of towels, toys, food and other wish list supplies. These are listed on our website under the "Donate" tab and Facebook page.

3. We are always looking for more volunteers in all areas of the shelter. The only way we are going to solve animal homelessness in Baltimore is by working together!

4. Support the shelter by adopting an animal in need or fostering one in your home until it is adopted.

5. Tell your friends and family members about BARCS, share the information we put out (adoption animals, shelter needs, etc.), and attend BARCS events.

6. You can help by making sure your pets, your friend’s pets, your family’s pets (and so on) are all spayed and neutered, vaccinated, wearing identification, treated humanely and kept as part of the family for life.