Dog Adoptions Jump 144.6% For '22 At HSHC, Leaders Report Successes

HARFORD COUNTY, MD — Despite seeing a 17 percent increase in animals brought to the Humane Society of Harford County in 2022, HSHC still achieved a 98.2 percent live release rate. Leaders attribute the high rate to a dedicated team of 30 paid staff, 85 volunteers, dozens of foster parents, countless rescue partners and a supportive community of animal lovers.

Last year, 1,268 animals were adopted and cat adoptions were up just 1.3 percent from the prior year with 760 cats and kittens getting adopted, while adoptions of exotics (rabbits, guinea pigs, etc.) increased by 20 percent to 212 in 2022. Dog adoptions were up 144.6 percent. In 2021, homes were found for 121 dogs, while last year 296 dogs were adopted, the HSHC stated.

Thirteen percent more animals who were brought to the Humane Society of Harford County as lost in 2022 were reunited with their families and returned to their homes. This increase is due, in part, to animals coming in with microchips that are registered properly and/or pets wearing collars with ID tags, the humane society noted. For those animals that were not microchipped, the shelter performed this service at no charge to their owners. At the end of the year, 1,156 microchips had been implanted.

In 2021, HSHC transferred 432 animals to shelter partners for adoption, an 8 percent increase in transfers over the prior year.

A few other highlights the HSHC shared include:

• raising more than $27,000 on Giving Tuesday to acquire specialized equipment to perform dental procedures
• donating more than 500 bags of dog and cat food, free of charge, to pet owners from the pet food pantry
• the veterinary team completing its 1,000th procedure of the year, primarily spay and neuter surgeries, but also other life-altering surgical procedures including hernia repairs, mass removals, eye removals and limb amputations
• restarting the volunteer program that led to 85 trained volunteers walking dogs, spending time with cats and exotic animals, answering phones, washing laundry and staffing outreach events.

“Using the latest 'Value of Volunteer Time' report from IndependentSector.org, the 5,165 hours our volunteers gave last year is worth $154,692,” HSHC Executive Director Bob Citrullo said. “And this does not include all the time our dedicated foster parents contributed to care for the 262 animals placed with them in their homes.”

As HSHC ended 2022, it earned a gold-level Candid (formerly GuideStar) charity seal, which is a high mark for nonprofits to attain. Less than five percent of nonprofits registered with Candid/GuideStar are recognized with a gold seal.