BALDWIN, Md. — Her heart and home are full of love, but something is missing from Veronica Gardner’s family.
“I have three little boys,” Gardner said as she waited to fill out paperwork for a new pet at the Baltimore County Animal Services Shelter in Baldwin. We had a cat, but he passed away so we lost him. ”
“Life is better when you have a pet.”
That’s the message behind the shelter’s new campaign to stem the tide of animals being surrendered by people who can’t afford them.
“A lot of times families don’t really want to make those decisions,” said Abby Isaacs, the shelter’s communications manager. Whether you’re looking for grant opportunities, pet food banks, low-cost veterinary care resources, and more, we have a new Pet Care Resource Guide that brings together all the resources available in our area in one place has been created. ”
In addition to providing financial assistance to pet owners, the shelter also works to help families find and reunite their pets if they become lost or stolen. .
Of the more than 3,300 stray dogs and cats that arrived at the shelter this year, only 20% were adopted by families.
This month, the shelter is offering free microchipping to pet owners in an effort to improve those numbers.
“It’s just a chip about the size of a grain of rice,” Isaacs explained. “It’s inserted between your shoulder blades. Once you insert the chip, you have to register your contact information online. You scan it, call that number and say, ‘Hello, we found your dog.’ It’s as easy as saying. ”
These measures are meant to keep families together and prevent pets from ending up in shelters, where unwanted animals can spend weeks, if not months, waiting for their forever homes. It is.
“They greet me as soon as I walk into the house,” Gardner said as she prepared to leave with her newly adopted cat. “My dog jumps up and tries to hug me. .And the cat will come back and rub your feet.”It’s a warm feeling.” ”
