Sandy-Trained Animal Shelter on Vigilant Watch for Weather

By Kate Andries, Capital News Service

Located barely a block away from the harbor’s waters, near the Federal Hill neighborhood, the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter stood a serious chance of flooding. As reports of the storm’s increasing intensity rolled in, one thing was on the mind of the BARCS volunteer staff: What do we do with all these animals?

Until Hurricane Sandy, the staff had never evacuated the shelter because of weather, said Joe Miletti, BARCS’ volunteer program manager.

According to a note shared by the BARCS executive director, Jennifer Brause, on the shelter’s Facebook page, Hoffberger Moving Services donated time and vehicles to help move the shelter animals from BARCS' headquarters to the arena. In addition, “several hundred compassionate community volunteers and dozens of dedicated staff members” loaded up their cars and SUVs to transport food and supplies.

The evacuation in response to Hurricane Sandy spurred the shelter to take preparation for major weather events even more seriously than before.

BARCS takes in more than 11,000 animals a year, from kittens and puppies to wildlife and exotic animals. Created as a non-profit in 2005, a majority of BARCS’ funding comes from a grant from the city of Baltimore.