REISTERSTOWN, Md — What happens to a pet when its owner goes into hospice care?
It is something workers at the Baltimore Humane Society see often: pets end up at the shelter.
“It’s one of the biggest problems that we have at the shelter, and one of the more heartbreaking in general. They are all heartbreaking, but when people go into hospice and they have their pet and they have to give up their pet, and they never get to see their pet again while they’re still alive," says Andrew Levine.
Andrew Levine, the board president of the Baltimore Humane Society, wants to solve that problem.
He says people should still be able to see their pets until their last day, and the pets shouldn’t just be thrown into a new environment out of nowhere.
He says doing so has a huge impact on the pet and its ability to be adopted.
Although the pets at the Baltimore Humane Society are not in cages, Levine says it is still not the same as being in a home.
“It’s going to be a smoother transition for those pets because they’re going to be able to see their owner every day still, and they’re going to be in a home environment," says Levine.
Levine says he wants to begin the project on the Barton home as soon as possible.
“It’s really a few phases. It's restoration, renovation, and we’re putting on a new addition," he says.
He says they already have the plan in place, but since the organization is a non-profit, it needs some financial help getting things off the ground.
“Before COVID, our costs were around $1.4 million; now it’s gonna be closer to $2.1 million. That’s how much costs have gone up since then; it’s crazy, so now we have to work even harder," says Levine.
The state of Maryland approved a grant for half a million dollars for the restoration, but Levine says the non-profit will still need about $1.5 million to get the job done.
“Hopefully corporations and people will really step up and help us get this done because it’s really going to be something that’s going to help a lot of people and a lot of animals.”
When the renovations are done, a staff member will live in the original part of the home full time, and in the added part of the home, dogs will be on the first floor and cats on the second floor.
Levine says additional staff members will help take care of the animals and take them to visit their owners every day for as long as they can.
The ultimate goal is for the humane society to take what it learns from the new housing environment and apply it to the overall shelter, getting rid of cages, kennels, and crates completely.
Levine says he hopes other shelters will adopt a similar idea as well.
If you would like to donate or learn more about the project, you can contact Andrew Levine at alevine@baltimorehumane.org or visit the Baltimore Humane Societywebsite.
