BARCS Animal Shelter

BARCS Animal Shelter Welcome to the official page for the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS) 501(c)3. BARCS offers several programs to support our community.
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View them at https://barcs.org/programs/

🐱 Adoptable kitty Cream, also known as Mamacita to her foster family, is the kind of girl who’s perfectly happy spending...
09/04/2026

🐱 Adoptable kitty Cream, also known as Mamacita to her foster family, is the kind of girl who’s perfectly happy spending her days relaxing, eating, and keeping her people close by. At 3 years old and 7 lbs, she enjoys curling up near her favorite people for gentle pets and is even comfortable being picked up for a little while when needed. She has some playful energy too, especially when there’s a toy mouse or pom-pom ball around, though she’s usually happy to entertain herself. A truly delightful companion!

💖 Cream came to BARCS after being found alone and in need of care and shelter alongside her kittens, who have since found loving homes of their own. She’s currently living in a loving foster home, where she appears to have good litter box habits and has met dogs, cats, and children. She can enjoy their company as long as things stay fairly calm. Loud noises and sudden movements can make her a little nervous, and she may need some time to warm up to a new family. Once she feels comfortable, though, she’s happy to stick close by and accept some pets. What Cream needs now is a home where she can take her time, settle in, and enjoy being a pampered cat.

Ready to meet Cream? Fill out an online adoption application to connect with her foster family and see if this sweet, easygoing girl is the purr-fect fit for you!

Thanks to the incredible generosity of our community, BARCS is able to provide medical care to hundreds of animals each ...
09/04/2026

Thanks to the incredible generosity of our community, BARCS is able to provide medical care to hundreds of animals each year through the Franky Fund. A key part of this effort is our partnerships with local veterinary hospitals and clinics. We are deeply grateful for these partnerships, which help save the lives of thousands of homeless shelter animals in need of emergency and specialized medical care.

This week, we’re sending a heartfelt thank you to the amazing team at Thrive Pet Healthcare Urgent Care - Catonsville. Their care has made a real difference for countless BARCS animals, including Baked Alaska, who received urgent treatment—all made possible by the incredible generosity of our Franky Fund supporters.

Sweet Baked Alaska came to BARCS after being found alone and in need of care and shelter. He was friendly during his initial veterinary evaluation and was found to have fleas that caused flea dermatitis. He was treated for the fleas and given medication to relieve his itching and discomfort. The veterinary team also found that his left upper canine was broken around the gumline, leaving the pulp exposed and causing significant inflammation in the gum around the remaining piece of tooth. While waiting for treatment, Baked Alaska went to a loving foster home to continue recovering. He needed a dental extraction and full dental assessment, so he was sent to one of our amazing Franky Fund partners for his dental procedure.

Under the care of the TPHC team, Baked Alaska was, as expected, a sweet patient. A full-mouth X-ray was done to check his teeth and see what treatment he needed. His broken tooth was removed, and his teeth were cleaned and polished above and below the gumline. Once he was cleared, Baked Alaska returned to his loving foster home feeling much better.

He’s currently available for adoption and is such a sweet, loving kitty. We’d love to see him find a home where he can settle in and be spoiled.

Thank you to Thrive Pet Healthcare Catonsville for all of the love and care you give to the BARCS animals who come through your doors!

We would not be able to do what we do without them—and without YOU, our Franky Fund donors. This program relies completely on private donations. Please help us always be ready to save animals like Baked Alaska by giving to our Franky Fund.

💙 You can donate on this link https://www.barcs.org/franky-fund

Meet Mystique 🐕, an older gal who may not see quite as well as she used to, but she’s got a nose and ears that are more ...
09/03/2026

Meet Mystique 🐕, an older gal who may not see quite as well as she used to, but she’s got a nose and ears that are more than happy to help. She takes her time sniffing around a new place, listens to what’s going on, and pretty quickly gets the lay of the land. And when a treat is involved, her senses seem to work just fine.

🐶🍃 Sniffing Things Out:
Mystique likes to take her time and investigate. In her loving foster home, she’s been figuring out her surroundings and settling into the routine. She walks well on leash with some support, although an especially good smell or another dog can get her excited. A little redirection is usually all it takes to get her back on track. She’s also very committed to snacks, so don’t expect her to miss many opportunities for a treat.

💗 A Social Butterfly:
Mystique is happiest when she’s getting attention. She loves cuddling up with her foster family, getting belly rubs and kisses. She’s a respectful houseguest, too, and doesn’t go jumping on furniture or beds without permission. Car rides, grass, parks, pup cups, cuddles... Mystique has a pretty impressive list of things she enjoys.

🏡 The Perfect Match:
Mystique has gotten along well with other dogs at BARCS and would like to meet any potential doggie roommates before heading home. She’ll need a little support as she gets used to new surroundings, but she’s shown that limited vision isn’t going to stop her from enjoying a good walk, a car ride, a tasty snack, or a whole lot of affection.

Mystique is a BARCS VIP⭐, which means her adoption fees are always waived! To learn more about her personality and needs, check out her VIP profile by clicking here: https://www.barcs.org/vip-urgent-list

🏈 Ronnie Stanley is coming to BARCS today!Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle and two-time BARCS adopter Ronnie Stanley wi...
09/03/2026

🏈 Ronnie Stanley is coming to BARCS today!

Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle and two-time BARCS adopter Ronnie Stanley will be at BARCS today from 4–5 PM to meet adopters and help kick off Ronnie & Rico’s TAILgate for BARCS. Come meet the adoptable animals looking for homes, find your new best friend, and say hi to Ronnie while you’re here!

And while you’re here, remember that adoption fees are waived for all animals at BARCS through Sunday, September 6, thanks to Ronnie and his BARCS pup, Rico. Every adopter will also receive a goodie bag from Stella & Chewy’s and a Duke’s bandana, while supplies last.

💜 BARCS Adoption Hours Today: 2–6 PM
Friday, Sept. 4: 2–6 PM
Saturday, Sept. 5: 11 AM–4 PM
Sunday, Sept. 6: 11 AM–4 PM

📍 2490 Giles Road, Baltimore, MD 21225

Come say hi to Ronnie, find your new four-legged MVP, and make it a TAILgate to remember. 🐶🐱🏈

🏈 Ronnie & Rico’s TAILgate for BARCS! Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley is a two-time BARCS adopter, and ...
09/03/2026

🏈 Ronnie & Rico’s TAILgate for BARCS! Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Ronnie Stanley is a two-time BARCS adopter, and he and his BARCS pup, Rico, want to help more animals find loving homes!

From Thursday, September 3 through Sunday, September 6, Ronnie & Rico are sponsoring waived adoption fees for all animals at BARCS.

And to kick off the weekend, Ronnie will be at BARCS on Thursday from 4–5PM to meet adopters! Come find your new best friend and you may even get to celebrate your adoption with Ronnie himself.

💜BARCS Adoption Hours:
- Thursday, Sept. 3: 2–6PM
- Friday, Sept. 4: 2–6PM
- Saturday, Sept. 5: 11AM–4PM
- Sunday, Sept. 6: 11AM–4PM

📍2490 Giles Road, Baltimore, MD 21225

And the fun doesn’t stop at waived adoption fees! Every adopter will also receive a goodie bag from Stella & Chewy's and a Duke's Blankets bandana for their new family member, while supplies last.

Come meet the animals, find your MVP and help Ronnie & Rico make this a winning weekend for BARCS pets! 🏈🐶

09/02/2026

Holy cat… what a weekend! 😻

A HUGE thank you to everyone who joined us for Baltimore KittyCon 2026, presented by Cat Hospital At Towson, on Sunday! From cattoos and crafts to live mewsic, meow-e-oke, workshops, vendors, games, lectures, adoptable kitties, and approximately eleventy billion cat puns, you all showed up ready to celebrate your love of cats—and you did not disappoint.

And boy, did you show up. 1,000 guests filled KittyCon at the Baltimore Museum of Industry, with cat lovers traveling from across the country (and even other countries!) to join the fun. With your participation, we grew this event from just 200 guests in the last two years to the incredible turnout this year and exceeded our wildest cat-lover dreams. We are absolutely floored by the amount of love you showed for this event and for the cats and animals who need us.

Even better? 39 cats found loving homes between BARCS and the other shelters and rescues who joined us! That’s 39 happily-ever-afters made possible by YOU.

A special thank you to our incredible staff, volunteers, and fosters who worked their tails off to make KittyCon happen. From setup to cleanup and every meow-ment in between, we couldn’t have done it without you. You are the real cool cats.

And of course, we’re sending a giant THANK YOU to our sponsors: Cat Hospital at Towson; Jay and Keyana Sykes Foundation; Weruva; Caitec; Picket Brewing Company; Power Home Remodeling; RCC Weddings and Events; Passanante’s Home Food Service; Veterinary Neurology and Imaging of the Chesapeake; Lutherville Animal Hospital; The Cool Hardware Company; Aspen River Veterinary Hospital; Harbour Sign and Graphics, LTD; Tito’s Handmade Vodka; VEG ER for Pets; Kittie Kittie; Brawler LLC, "The Light Guy"; and Lindsay’s Southside.

Your support helped turn a silly, joyful celebration of all things feline into something that makes a very serious difference for homeless animals. KittyCon is a fundraiser for BARCS, helping provide lifesaving care, foster homes, adoptions, community cat services, and second chances to the 12,000 animals that enter our shelter each year.

We are so grateful to every person who bought a ticket, adopted a cat, made a purchase, sponsored the event, volunteered, fostered, became a vendor, sang a meow-song, wore a cat-themed outfit, or simply showed up and celebrated with us.

Thank you for making KittyCon 2026 the cat’s meow. 🐱✨

❤️🐶 Come down to BARCS! These adoptable dogs don't know it yet, but one of them is about to become the reason you leave ...
09/01/2026

❤️🐶 Come down to BARCS! These adoptable dogs don't know it yet, but one of them is about to become the reason you leave work five minutes early. Come meet your future best friend!

🐾 In photo order: Sweet Cornbread, Queenie, Tom Tom, Canaima, Block Party 3, Kazoo Kid, Sea Otter, Gucci, Belladonna, and Desdemona.

Stop by BARCS, 2490 Giles Rd., this week, Monday through Friday, 2–6 PM, or the weekend, 11 AM–4 PM, and see which one picks you.

💗🐈 Nine years ago, Creampuff came to her mom as a BARCS foster, and for the first week, that meant exactly one thing: pa...
09/01/2026

💗🐈 Nine years ago, Creampuff came to her mom as a BARCS foster, and for the first week, that meant exactly one thing: parked under the bed, not budging for anyone. It didn't take long to change. Foster turned into foster fail, and foster fail turned into family.

"Since then, we've moved 6+ times, she's been my healing angel through more than a dozen surgeries, and she's been by my side for some of the biggest moments of my life. And in the ultimate Creampuff plot twist, after 9 years of thinking she was a girl, we recently found out... Creampuff is actually a boy. From the terrified foster hiding under my bed to my constant companion through nearly a decade of life, he will forever be my soul cat and my healing angel. Thank you BARCS."

That first week under the bed feels like a lifetime ago now. Happy Tail, Creampuff, here's to many more years being exactly who you are.❣️

Address

2490 Giles Road
Baltimore, MD
21225

Opening Hours

Monday 2pm - 6pm
Tuesday 2pm - 6pm
Wednesday 2pm - 6pm
Thursday 2pm - 6pm
Friday 2pm - 6pm
Saturday 11am - 4pm
Sunday 11am - 4pm

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