I got my cat from BARCS and the adoption process was seamless and the staff was wonderful. They truly put their animals first and really treat them well in the facility. Very grateful to have come across BARCS, for if i hadn't i wouldn't have such a wonderful feline. read more

I am giving them two stars instead of 1 because I do so support the work that they do. I think that running a large county animal shelter must be very difficult. That being said they made some very negligent oversights with the dog I just adopted. I adopted a 7 year old Chihuahua/terrier mix. I knew that being an older dog she would most likely come with some health problems. She is a wonderful little dog but after I took her home and noticed how bad her breath was I tried to brush her teeth. Upon opening her mouth I discovered SEVERAL rotting teeth that are going to need to be removed. Additionally, I discovered she has a small mammary mass under one of her nipples. These are all things that I KNOW they noticed in the shelter, but neglected to tell me. I have decided that I took on this dog for better or worse and so we are going to get surgery for her teeth and mass, but I think there are a lot of people that would have brought her back and said they couldn't take on such a dog. The part that really bothers me is there is no way they didn't know about these things upon intake of the dog. They also had the dog under anesthesia when they preformed her spay and to me it seems like they could have taken that time to remove the bad teeth or the mass. At the very least they should have informed me of her health concerns. She also got pneumonia within a week of bringing her home. I am suspicious that due to her poor dentition and being fed DRY FOOD at the shelter (she cannot chew) she probably aspirated food and that caused her pneumonia. Again, it was more of a negligence issue on their part. I used to volunteer at a shelter when I was in college, and the above things are all things they would have addressed in the shelter or at least informed the adopter of. I feel like in an effort to get as many dogs in and out of there they were not transparent and that just doesn't sit well with me. read more

An actual nightmare. Pit bulls stacked on top of pit bulls and no organization whatsoever. Couldn't even sit to wait to get tags for my dog. I understand they're understaffed but for a simple 20 dollar transaction it shouldn't take nearly an hour and a half. read more

BARCS has done so much to improve the lives of animals in Baltimore City. Their concern and focus is on the animals, and I encourage anyone looking for a pet to adopt from the shelter, keeping in mind they do so much with limited funds. The staff and volunteers are awesome and do all they can to keep the animals happy, safe and healthy until they find their forever homes. read more

I have to preface this by saying that the cat I adopted is the sweetest, most adorable little lovebug ever and I am so happy that she's joined my family. However, I feel like BARCS itself is misleading and borderline negligent so I have to write a review that reflects this. I was told that the cat I chose had undergone surgery that morning but it wasn't until I was in the middle of the adoption class (after I had paid for her) that I was informed that she was on 2 different medications that I would have to administer for the next two weeks (luckily I am comfortable with giving cats oral medicine but I know many people aren't). While I know space is always at a premium in shelters, once I found out the extent of her injuries it seems horrible that they would adopt her out before she was fully healed. I was also told that all cats are vaccinated (isn't that part of what the adoption fee is meant to cover?) but it turns out she was going to need a booster shot in 4 days that BARCS will not administer. I have to take her for a checkup anyway but if I am very frustrated that they would tell me that she was fully vaccinated when that was not the case. I used to work at the SPCA in Annapolis and animals would never be put in the adoption area until they were fully vaccinated and recovered from their spay/neuter surgeries. I was also told that I would receive 30 days of free pet insurance so long as I activated it within 3 days which made me feel better about having to deal with her booster shot. When I got home I realized I had not received an activation code but the paperwork said to wait 48 hours for it to come via email before contacting the company. I never received the email so I called 2 days later and they told me that the gift was only viable if it was activated the same day. So annoying! Luckily they also provided an $8.95 credit toward a monthly policy so I'm hoping that will cover her wellness exam, booster shot, and medication for the cold she came home with. All in all it has been a frustrating experience where I feel like I had no idea what I signed up for. read more

BARCS does an amazing job of rescuing cats and dogs. Why would you ever consider buying a pet when you can become a stray animal's forever hero? read more

As a previous reviewer mentioned, this place adopts out dogs with serious known issues. They had "confidential" information that the dog they gave me "could not let anyone besides his previous owner near him." I only learned this a year later when I called them about bringing him back. The woman on the phone said " he should never have been adopted out. he should be put down before he hurts someone." Funny thing is, noone told me this, so I (gasp) actually let a few people pet him at the beginning and there were a few minor bite incidents before I realized he needed to be managed. Thanks Barcs, over a year after adoption NOW you tell me he may have neurological issues and should be put down after I've bonded with him, hired numerous behaviorists and trainers, and spent countless hours working with him?! WTF?!!! Apparently the administration has changed and they are being more careful now. That's how they were able to let me know about the previous "confidential" info. Still, the damage has been done. Now all the people who warned me not to get a shelter dog feel like they have "proof" that shelter dogs are bad. Not only is Barcs shoddiness a disservice to Barcs, it's a disservice to shelters and shelter pets in general. Don't get me wrong, I still think animal rescue is the best choice but maybe not through Barcs or if, so, be cautious, VERY cautious so you don't end up in my situation. read more

Tedious process very unorganized and discouraging. Spent 3 hours in there. I can see why they are over crowded. Are they trying to get rid of the animals or are they holding them hostage. They make it extremely difficult to adopt a pet. Finally supposed to pick up a cat today they neuter him first and test for FIV last. I was told one hour before I was supposed to pick him up that he tested positive. Really disheartening. read more

This place sucks! First I went to adopt a kitten and first I went to.adopt was ready to.leave and they told me to come back the next day. When I adopted him he had a cold they explained to me that was normal. They told me to give my email address and I would be qualified for insurance... Well I gave my email that was it. I took my kitty home a week later he was sneezing blood and had diarrea . I called BARCS and they said it was now my responsibility to get him checked. I asked about my insurance and they informed me I had to call for it???! Well I was not informed that so I had to take my cat to a vet and it cost me a pretty penny. I would not recommend this place.....TAKE AND SPEND A LIL MORE MONEY TO GET YOUR ANIMALS FROM SPCA. IT WILL BE BETTER IN THE LONG RUN!!!! read more

Everything was so clean, staff was super helpful and we even got to interact with a little pug girl we're looking to adopt. There seemed to be a good balance beetween staff and volunteers, so just about every question we had was answered promptly. Greatly enjoyed my time here. read more

I read all the negative comments and it's a shame, quick to judge but not the look at the whole picture of the good positive things that this organization does. I had heard of Barcs through a good friend with positive things and what good they do. Yesterday I got to experience them first hand, I found that if you look their website first, and pick out two or three dogs it helps the process. Also it tells you what EXACT time the place opens hence your not endlessly waiting. Unlike what I did, got there good three hours too early. The process did seem confusing but it's a very busy, not just people wanting to adopt, but people trying to get their dogs back, one lady needed legal paperwork to get a snake back. The staff has lots of volunteers, meaning, they are there on their time, wanting to help, they are very nice and kind. I did adopt the little girl I wanted, she won't replace my big guy. However, Roxy will fill the huge void he left, she is quite a character. One thing that is awesome that they do is an adoption class, very good information read more

BARCS - Roxi the "social" butterfly.. - Animal Shelters Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

Adopted two wonderful doggies from BARCS! They also have a great selection of kitties too!

Not the nicest building but you can tell where the money goes, strait to the animals. They have a lot of animals to choose from and I have to say i got my dog from there. It can be a wait to see the animals but if your patient it is worth it. they make sure you have all of the information before you leave and that your ready for your new pet. read more

They killed my dog. His name was ace he was only 2 years old. Animal control took him and 3 other dogs from my home and killed ace after 4 days of being in the shelter. They gave me the run around , they played with my feelings. They called me 9 in the morning on the 10th of august and told me i can pick my baby up, But i have to talk to animal control. So i did and they told me i couldnt have my dog and he couldnt be adopted so he would be euthanized. My father took me down there to the shelter and they took my original documents that stated from animal control i could pick him up after 72 hours or that i could request a hearing on the impoundment. They told my father he couldnt have my dog either. I asked could i see him before i leave. I went back to the kennels and seen him laying there .. it broke my heart. He seen me and came running up trying to lick me through the cage and rolled over on his back so i could pet him. I left after about 10 mins of saying good bye to him praying a miracle could happen to let my baby go home with me . I called them the next morning asking did he get euthanized. They told be they werent at liberty to discuss it. They gave me the run around for about 2 hours maybe even 3. They called me back finally and told me they had to put him down. My mother took me back to the shelter where i begged for questions and asked for my documents from the animal control department because the day before they took them and didnt give them back. They gave me a copy and told me they didnt have my original. It didnt make sense because you cant make a copy without the original. I have pictures of the original too. My mother was enraged and so was i, so we called BPD(baltimore police dep.) They told us it was a civil matter and told me that barcs told them i gave up my rights. I was there to get my dog back in my possession! I told them i want proof but no one had any. Barcs offered me free ashes , and paw prints. They killed my dog already so i had no other choice so i appreciated it. Ace was euthanized on August 11th and went to doggy heaven hopefully. The other three dogs got adopted out. I have my baby sitting in a box with him name on it next to me and still today (September 24th) im waiting for my paw prints to come in the mail. They took mine and aces rights away for him to live. Please take care of your animals and dont let anyone take them to barcs! read more

BARCS - This is my baby ace - Animal Shelters Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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Tried to leave my gerbils here - was told they would be euthanized! They did not care about my gerbils but only wanted me to buy a pitbull. Such rude staff! The only nice person was this older lady standing outside of the behavioral unit. Smdh read more

Under staffed and over crowded but a ton of great animals. They serve a great purpose in our community. I adopted my dog from BARCS six years ago and couldnt be happier. I am so thankful they are in our community. Please adopt here! read more

Most of the people if not all of the workers here are volunteers. Don't come in with an attitude and or just expecting to be in and out. As busy as they are, they are still more than willing to help each person individually. You should expect to wait at least 30 min after signing in each time. Got one pet may get another soon. read more

I adopted my small dog from here two weeks ago without any delays or problems in terms of the "on-boarding" and closing process. Knowing small dogs are very popular, I left work early to arrive at 2:00 p.m. (when they open) to activate the application I had on file. I liked the dog and was told I was number 1 (since the dog arrived late afternoon the day before). I waited the customary 3 days for the stray hold to lift and arrived on the 4th day (even though I was told to expect a call). I was told at the time they would check to see if I was STILL number 1. At this point, I became very concerned because I knew I was the first application and the only people who could possibly be considered ahead of me would be the person who found her and the owner. Since, there was no interest in her (besides the applications filed after mine) and it was the 4th day, I didn't see any reason why that would be an issue. After checking, they informed me I was still number 1 and my dog was in surgery. They invited me to stay a maximum of a few hours or come back within two hours. The process went smoothly; however, to be fair and balanced, I must say that I missed an opportunity for a dog weeks earlier because of misinformation from the staff regarding the dog's availability. I was the first inquiry and was told the dog's owner was on her way to pick her up. The days following, I noticed the dog was still on the website. Later, when I visited the shelter, the dog was still there and at that time there were multiple applications in for her. BARCS is a very busy shelter with many volunteers and I am sure they could probably use more help. As in any organization, some staff is more knowledgeable than others. I submitted a volunteer application a couple weeks ago (the website indicated a 24 hour response time) and still haven't heard back from them. In my opinion, they could use staff in various areas including customer service, answering the phones that go unanswered as well as emails. I am a supporter of their mission and am very happy with the on-boarding, and closing process in terms of communication regarding my dog's whereabouts on adoption day, time frames, class, dog's background/history, and celebratory presentation of my fur baby. For these reasons, I am giving BARCS 4 Stars. read more

The people here care very much. I got a wonderful cat here, and I would go back for another if I could. They also handle dog and cat licensing for Baltimore city here; for about $10 you can make your animal nice and legal. read more

Barcs and Baltimore City Animal control work hand-n-hand to help the overwhelming number of animals, abused, neglected and forgotten. This shelter takes in over 12,000 animals a year, not every animal that comes to Barcs is lucky enough to leave and go to a new home. If you are looking to add a new furry family member to your household Barcs is a great place. Its pretty basic, the more adoptions they have, the less amount of animals have to be euthanized. Pit bull make up a large percent of the dogs at the shelter. But if you research the breed, and not hind behind the news stories that frequent our society, you will find these dogs have a long history in the USA, that dates back to the early 1900's, as being this nations first "family dog". read more

I have read many reviews here and would like to mention my experience in 2010 eventhough it is now 2013. I adopted a cat from BARCS in Oct 2010. I went seeking a special-needs cat and was able to adopt one with 3 legs. We waited a while but they had many volunteers at the time and many people adopting, dropping off and picking up. I live in the Washington metro area but decided to adopt from BARCS because they had a large selection of pets and it was mentioned that they were overcrowded. I would rather save a life from an overcrowded place. I would like to say that it would be hard to wait about 3 - 5 hours. It think that I would not be soooo happy about that. However, if you end up with a great pet then the wait was worth it. I think too that if they are understaffed then maybe people dont have sooo much time to volunteer anymore. Maybe many students were volunteers because when I was there, many volunteers did seem to be about college-age. Maybe they have moved on to get paying jobs. People are struggling economically now-a-days so it is great if someone decides to commit to do a job with no pay. BARCS is in the inner city and they allow pitbulls so it is not hard to realize that they would have many. It seems that the people that get them dont do what they are supposed to to make them life-long pets so they end up at BARCS. I think it is great that BARCS takes the breed especially if you have canines from the breed that are ADOPTABLE. I think it is the PEOPLE that turn them vicious. I do not think this breed is BORN vicious. Like I mentioned, BARCS is in the inner city, so they are going to have many pets. That would be common in any inner city. I think you have to stand back and look at the bigger picture.... For those that have had really bad experiences, I am trully sorry to hear that but if you had to put out a little money for your pet shortly thereafter and the pet was worth it...then look at that part over all. I like that BARCS is there to HELP kittens, cats, dogs and puppies of the large Baltimore area. I think that they are committed to trying to help. It is owners that dont get their pets fixed that cause places like BARCS to be overcrowded and in need of more than the normal shelter for volunteer assistance. My feline family member has been with us for 3 yrs and he is great. He was 1 yr when adopted. I actually plan to get my own rescue going and I will look to partner with BARCS, especially when they get overloaded. This is because I am happy with the cat I adopted from there and I like that they are trying to help the many pets that are seized, dropped off, abused, owners moving and can no longer keep, economic down fall and owners can no longer afford to care for them, owners died from the large city of Baltimore. -Robin read more

I cam here looking for a small cat to rescue and take care of. I found just what I was looking for! However, as with any other adoption center, there was a very long wait time. The staff seemed very busy and things were a little crazy inside of the shelter. After I waited about an hour after checking in, a lady took me to the back to see the animals. There were many to choose from and I decided on a cat. She was spayed already, so I could take her home that day, but the waiting time for filling out the papers and what not was another hour or so. This shelter does what a shelter is supposed to do, but I would appreciate if the staff were a little more. read more

I love animals - But I can not forgive this place for taken a stolen dog and sold it , I didn't take her to the shelter, somebody else did - Once I did find her, she was gone from the run around of getting paperwork. I'm heartbroken no pet - She was 5 years old had her since she was a puppy 3 months old. I still feel as if they should call whoever they sold her to and tell them to bring her back I came in with papers from vet and pictures and was told she was gone......Adopted. They need to change some things or a lot of stolen pets will get sold to people. read more

I went to BARCS on April the 18th 2016, to pick up my cat. I dealt with Linda, didn't get a last name, but she was wonderful! Very kind, patient, caring and personable. If I could rate her on a scale of 1 to 10, she would rate a 10 plus.........! If I could deal with someone such as she, on a daily basis, I would love it! The place was neat and clean. Everyone helped everyone else. I wasn't happy with the situation, but Linda made things seem so much better. Thanks little lady for all of your consideration! God Bless you! Sandra M. read more

I was at the 23 July Clear the Shelter event and was very pleased by how well things went. I dealt with several staff/volunteers who were all friendly and helpful. A lot was going on and the BARCS folks remained cool and calm under the pressure of dozens of people applying and waiting for their new pets, several of whom had children with them who were excited and all over the place. I was prepared to wait a while, and it was a pretty reasonable one given how very crowded the event was - just over an hour. A short time indeed to wait for my new kitty friend! My little cat had clearly been well treated judging by her comfort level with the staff. She was in a clean comfortable looking cage with plenty of room, a cozy bed, towel and toys. She'd been given a bath, been spayed and given her vaccinations. At the pre-adoption meeting I received medication she needed from an infection contracted before her intake, and a complimentary beginner supply of Science Diet food. I hadn't realized that the day I went was the Clear the Shelter day involving waiving the $75 adoption fee. Even if I'd had to pay the fee, it would have been well worth it given all that was done for my kitty! I'm happy to make a donation to further BARCS' good work! read more

My experience at BARCS was mostly positive, but there were some ups and downs. My fiance and I were interested in adopting a cat, and the first time we went, there was this beautiful, loving cat that we had our heart set on. There was a possible health issue to be concerned about, which could have either been an ear infection, or a vestibular/neuro issue (maybe due to a past head trauma), causing the cat to have a slight head tilt. Otherwise, the cat looked very healthy, and displayed normal behavior. He did not appear to have any issues with balance or coordination. The staff reassured us that the cat were due for the proper examination the next day, and my fiance and I agreed that'd be worth the wait. We were patient, but every time we called, there was another new excuse for why the cat had not been cleared for adoption, and mostly due to a delay in the completion of the proper examinations. Despite this, the staff/volunteer personnel were friendly and helpful, and we decided to eventually move on. The next time we went in, we found it more challenging to see the cats - it might be a bad complaint, but in almost every cat room there was way too many staff/volunteers! We couldn't see any of the cats! As soon as I tried to interact with a cat, someone would come up and block the cage - apparently doing their job, handling and interacting with the cat, but this prevented us from seeing the cat! I don't understand why they chose to go to that particular cage at that very moment, especially given that they were on the other side of the room just minutes before. My fiance and I felt it was oddly passive aggressive. Also, if we even looked in the direction of a cat that had a red card, someone snapped saying they weren't ready, so we may as well look elsewhere. Ok - we get it - this might just be a unique 'personality characteristic' on the part of some staff/volunteers, but we found this unnecessarily rude. We moved on to another room. Yet, there were over 5 staff/volunteers fawning over a 6 month old cat that had recently come in, which made the room very cramped. To make matters worse, some of the staff practically ignored us as we made our attempts to view some of the other cats in the room! I just don't understand! We are ready to adopt a cat, and will love and care for her! But they wouldn't let us view the few that were ready for adoption! I even politely said "excuse me" to one of the staff, and she literally pretended like I didn't exist. My fiance and I eventually found our beautiful cat, who we named Kori. We're happy now, but the process was a little frustrating at points. read more

I adopted a kitten this past weekend. I have had nothing but a positive experience with the staff and this facility. Being involved in GSD rescue years ago I understand the dedication and commitment it takes to work in "rescue". It's a labor of love, that's for sure. Yes it was crowded and what I would consider "organized" chaos. But with this many animals in need of forever homes, and amount of staff (volunteers) that it takes to run such a facility all I can say is "Kudos" for all you do. Another thing I want to mention is that they were completely honest with me regarding some of the kittens I was considering for adoption and possible "medical" issues. Their honesty and ethics are to be praised. I sent multiple emails to the Foster Mom's involved and they responded quickly and efficiently, and exhibiting a true "love" for what they do. read more

i have seen or heard of such unprofessionalism in my life they are rude unconcerned and have lack of hospitality or phone etiquette change rules or make rules to they convince all my paperwork was correct and even done by them . i am still in shock how we was treated never will ever consider or recommend them to anyone read more

We replied to a craigslist ad placed by a foster care provider on behalf of BARCS for a cat we wanted to meet after recently losing our beloved pet. Someone took the time to place this lengthy ad with multiple pictures, mentioning that the cat wasn't doing well in the foster home with multiple other cats and was sweet but probably would prefer a single-pet home - and never bothered to reply to our e-mails. After a few days we called BARCS, got somebody who sounded like she never heard of craigslist and said their process was to fill out an application (available online), then a meeting is set up with the foster provider to meet the animal. Why place an ad if you aren't going to reply? And if you're going to bother placing ad, why not just explain the process in the ad so people can proceed directly to submitting applications rather than wait days for a reply to an e-mail that's never going to come? At any rate, we filled out an app online after having to do some navigation to figure out a way to submit it (not mentioned anywhere on or near the application), and it's been several days and they still haven't responded to that either. We give up. Going in person wouldn't make sense since it's a foster animal, and we could continue to call, but there are many other animals out there and excellent organizations, two of which I have dealt with before and one of which I have volunteered at. Understaffed is one thing, but never have I experienced this level of incompetence and simply not caring. Adopting animals is their ONLY mission. And they're not able or willing to do it. Sad. read more

Think that its great that BARCs save animals.. Hate how they treat people. My dog was taken here by animal control. I went the same day to pick him up and was told because he was not neutered he would have to be before i took him home.. Mind you this was a friday. I agreed to have the procedure and they told me i would not be able to pick him up until tuesday of the next week at 6pm! My poor dog had to stay there for 4 days. The staff was completely rude and not empathetic at all. I got an "o well' attitude. On that tuesday around 2pm I received a call that my dog was going into surgery. They told me i would need to have a collar and leash to pick him up. I explained that he was taken there with a collar and asked if a staff member could please check to make sure it was still there so I would not have to buy a new one. "Libby" told me no.. I stated there's no rush please just call and let me know in a few hours. She stated its not in her policy to do such things. So i spontaneously and involuntarily paid for my dog to get neutered and you cant take 2 mins to check for his collar??? I was then old that they sell collars there for $25.. I went to pick up my dog at 6 and because he was still sleepy did not receive him until almost 7pm. Come to find out his collar was indeed there btw. The manager did apologize for the rudeness of the staff member however it does not change that many others probably get the same rude treatment while going through unideal situations. Oh must add in my dog developed Kennel cough from being there for 4 days and they NEVER answer the phone so good luck getting someone to answer a phone call. read more

Have found and caught several lost dogs in Baltimore city. BARCS is never open or available for help when you need them.

I adopted both my dog and cat from BARCS. One bit of advice I would give to anyone considering adopting from BARCS is be sure to ask plenty of questions and be prepared with alternate support prior to adopting, especially with dogs. I got my cat 11/16. She had an upper respiratory infection but the shelter gave me medicine for her which I greatly appreciated. It took forever to complete the adoption process but it was well worth it. I went back 01/17 to adopt a dog. I found a beautiful bulldog and had a meet and greet with her. I was told that she still needed to be spayed but I could fill out the application to start the adoption process and pick her up the next day. BARCS called me at 9:30am the next morning to tell me that her surgery was complete and to be there at 4:00pm to pick her up. When I arrived at 4:00pm they told me that I had to speak to a trainer before I could move forward with the adoption. I waited in the lobby for 45 minutes for a trainer to come out. When she finally came she told me that I couldn't adopt the bulldog because I have a cat in my home and they didn't think she would be safe around a small animal. I was very upset and angry that my time got wasted, not to mention that I had 2 kids with me who I had to explain to why Jelly wasn't coming home with us like I had promised. I asked why nobody bothered to tell me this before, especially when they called me with a time to pick her up. The trainer tried to tell me that they didn't know I had a cat, which was BS and I called her out on it. I showed her where on my application it said that I had a cat, not to mention that I ADOPTED MY CAT FROM THE EXACT SAME SHELTER. She then apologized and told me that sometimes information gets lost in the shuffle. I was very pissed off and tempted to just leave but I decided to look for another dog. I ended up leaving with a terrier mix. He had just been neutered that afternoon and the anesthesia hadn't worn off so he was a bit out of it. The next day the anesthesia was gone and he had a full fledged panic attack. I could not get him to stop howling or running around frantically or trying to mate with everyone in my home. He was hitting his tail against the wall so hard that he busted it open and flung blood all over the walls. My home looked like a crime scene. I took him out for a walk and when I brought him back inside he saw my cat and chinchilla cage. He pulled on his leash hard enough to knock me over, bolted after my cat and jumped on my chinchilla's cage. I called BARCS for help to calm him down. I waited on hold for 10 minutes before someone who's name I didn't get answered the phone. I told her what was going on and she transferred me to someone named Laura or Lisa. I told her about his frantic behavior and his tail flinging blood all over the wall and she told me to take him to a vet to see if they could recommend anything. I told her about him knocking me over to go after my cat and chinchilla and all she told me was that I'm supposed to keep them separated for the first two weeks. She even had the nerve to get smart with me, saying in a very sarcastic manner that it's pretty safe to say that he's never been around a chinchilla before. I was offended by her attitude but I kept it to myself because I needed her help. She told me to call back the next day and talk to a trainer and offered to email me some tips on how to calm my dog down. At this point I was very nervous for the safety of my other pets and I wondered if maybe he wasn't a good match for a home with small animals. I called back and spoke to Laura or Lisa again. When she got on the phone she was very annoyed that I was calling again. I told her about my concerns and asked if she thought he might be better off in a different home environment. She got rude with me, saying that I shouldn't have just picked any dog when I couldn't get the one I wanted and it's confusing for an animal to come back to the shelter. I told her that I didn't want to bring him back but I had to think about the safety of my other pets and this was the very reason why they wouldn't allow me to adopt the dog I initially wanted. I told her I would give it a few days to see if he calmed down any and make a decision from there. She replied in a very condescending tone, "Well it could take a lot longer than that. He needs a lot of work and he needs someone who is willing to work with him. It doesn't sound like you're willing to do that." I don't know what she meant by "a lot of work" but it made me feel like there was something they didn't tell me. I understand that they have a lot of animals to try to find homes for but if they are about finding permanent homes then I feel like they should be more willing to help with the adjustment process. I ultimately decided not to give up on him but I would bet that a lot of people do return their animals. I love my dog but I'm sad and disappointed by the lack of support I got as soon as he was off their hands. read more

I am perplexed that people are giving BARCS low scores because of the long wait to adopt an animal. Yeah, waiting sucks, but you are adopting a pet, you are making a life-long commitment (supposed to be life-long, the life of the pet) not ordering a cheeseburger through the drive-thru. You people complaining about the wait really annoy me, and that is putting it kindly. Each person at BARCS is doing the job of about 5 people. They also have to deal with animals coming in (from animal control, voluntary surrenders) as well as fosters coming in to get their animals for vet check-ups, handing licenses, and people bringing in their pets for euthanasia, and people like some of you getting obnoxious and irate for having to wait. And some of them storm out, undoing the work of the adoption and leaving the prospective pet hanging. Fortunately, they city government repealed the multi-pet permit requirement in December of 2012, so that is a little bit of a breather, but it is still insanely busy on a typical day. And as far as the CL ad, the foster parents usually do that on their own, that is not the fault of BARCS staff if the ad was not answered. As far as the racism: a couple of the staffers who helped me were black and there were black people in the waiting area who were waiting for their adoptions to finalize. Otherwise, I can't speak to that allegation. As far as adopting a pet who needs costly medical attention that the new guardian must shoulder, I adopted a cat from the SPCA in 2006 who ate very little for a solid week and we had to take him to vet ER because we thought that we were going to lose him. Another cat we adopted from SPCA in 2008 had a stomach virus which resulted in a $500 vet bill. I do not blame SPCA in the least. You cannot predict what is going on with these critters internally and it doesn't show up sometimes until after adoption. This is why shelters tell you to check in with a vet soon after the adoption. Yes they are short-staffed and a bit disorganized: I adopted a small dog this week and I was in the adoption class before I got to interact with him (against BARCS policy, but there was some confusion prior to the class that is too long to go into here---also, original owner reclaimed first pet I had an app on, I made sure to pro-actively follow up because I knew that I probably would not be told until I came to pick the dog up because they are so busy, with a place like BARCS, you have to be pro-active, this is not a pet spa, but an under-staffed and under-funded shelter). Anyways, BARCS is not perfect, mistakes are made, but they work very hard and it is a testament to their hard work and dedication of the staff that they get it right as often as they do. They took this shelter that had a 97% kill rate and an apathetic staff, and have done wonders with the place. More needs to be done, much more, which brings me to my next point...... If you do not like the wait times and disorganization at BARCS, instead of slamming them here, pick up your phone and call out the Baltimore City Council for not making the funding of this much-needed resource more of a priority. Finally, I suspect that a couple of these bad reviews are coming from PETA staffers who came in and secretly filmed BARCS and did an "expose" on them a couple of years back. For the record, PETA is a group that thinks that all homeless animals should be immediately killed. The founder of PETA, Ingrid Newkirk, was a former shelter director in DC who brags about how she killed animals instead of finding them homes. PETA has, under false circumstances, have taken adoptable animals from their local shelter in North Carolina, promising to find them homes, only to immediately euthanize them and put them in the dumpster. They wanted the Vick dogs, some who are now working as therapy dogs, immediately executed. PETA has no credibility and if BARCS had a tenth of PETAs budget, it would, for the most part, run flawlessly. Five stars from me. My husband and I love Lev (formerly "Dru"), the chihuahua mix we adopted earlier this week. read more

I do not know which "BARCS" the positive reviewers walked into but my experience has been negative three separate times.I keep in mind that many of these folks are volunteers and it pains me to write this about any animal rescue. I tried adopting a kitten for my son liked and was told that I was a racist for not adopting a older cat that my son did not like. I cannot believe this older black woman said to me that you white people do not adopt black cats. She ranted that all the kittens were already spoken for and that I had no business being in a shelter because we always bring the cat back. This person obviously does not belong working here and needs therapy. Trust me she is easy to spot working in the back and has a nasty disposition toward anybody that is not black trying to adopt a pet.I tried complaining to one of the younger staff members but she basically said that she is here to get a certificate for volunteering? The director or whoever was in charge was mysteriously out again. Happily my son found a great cat at another shelter in another county and we left glowing reviews, what a great experience, Stay away from this shelter and these troubled people. read more

I have never in my life been so disrespected and met with such incompetence. HEIDI, a German woman there refused to answer any of my questions, was extraordinarily rude to me for trying to ask a question of another employee and prohibited me from speaking to any other staff member. How I am to understand your policies when I have never been there? She insisted that animal control had my dogs tags, while the employee next to her actually had them. When I tried to relay this information, I was called rude and threatened to keep my dog over night without cause. Then she insisted my dogs vaccinations were outdated even though they were still good for another year. Another threat to fail to release my dog followed. She even went as far as telling me they had just closed minutes ago (even though I'd been there for 20 min) and that they were doing me a favor and she could keep my dog until tomorrow if she wanted. Had she not been so grossly incompetent, the entire process would have taken less than 20 min. Better yet, she made it a point to mention that they "were closed, and we have lives too you know." I will be composing a formal letter calling for the immediate termination of this poor excuse of an "employee". Her behavior was rude, unprofessional and aggressive. I'm thoroughly disgusted and hope your business policies do not condone such conduct in the workplace. read more

The staff was very rude when I came in. This is like dog jail. They are not friendly and push you into pets they want adopted out and not what you ask for. I love animals but this place is the worst rescue I have ever been to! read more

I adopted my puppy Emma from Barcs earlier this year. I have to say that someone who is not willing or complains about having to wait several hours to adopt an animal probably shouldn't be a pet owner anyways. You are adopting a member of your family that you will have for several years not picking up a new electronic. There are background checks that have to be completed. Have any of these reviewers ever dealt with any other Baltimore city agency or the MVA? It is all understaffed. Apparently workers at the shelter are also not allowed to have conversations with their co-workers either. Many of these reviewers need to realize it is not all about them. The animals that are adoptable at the shelter are animals that were either surrendered, found lost, or seized. There are a lot of pitbulls there because those are the dogs most often surrendered and found in the city. You are going to give a negative review because you don't like the dog selection? really? If you want to have a positive experience with BARCS, you have to expect that it will take more than 1 hour to adopt an animal. The people who show you the animals do not know EVERYTHING about the animal. It is impossible to know. Older animals have health problems. If you are concerned about it, check the teeth when you interact with the dog. read more

I adopted my younger dogter Corina from Barcs three and a half years ago. I couldn't be happier with her. She is the happiest little dog ever and has pulled me kicking and screaming through some very rough times. I couldn't have done it without her. Many thanks to Dr Bobbi Mammato and her staff of dedicated volunteers for making this possible. My next canine family member will definitely come from Barcs! read more

BARCS is an excellent facility. My husband and I were there this past weekend to adopt a cat. Here's my experience: To speed up the process, I attempted to reach out to them via phone, but I couldn't get anyone to answer. However, they respond to FB messages extremely quickly. I was able to submit my application early so that once we arrived, there was nearly no wait time. We arrived soon after they opened so there weren't too many folks in front of us. We were nicely greeted upon arrival and only waited 3 min to look at cats. One of the employees walked us around the facility and helped us find a cat that would fit our needs. We did have to wait a while for the "class" but that was only 15 min long. It's mostly for beginner cat owners, they walk you through all the steps you need to keep kitty happy. We are definitely referring friends and plan to go back here if we decide to adopt another pet. They were doing a free adoption month in December. That's mainly why we stopped by. But we consider our donation worth the while. read more

I wouldn't even give this shelter one star. So I have recently adopted a cat from this shelter and instantly fell in love with her. The few days leading up to her pick up, I had rushed out and bought everything I could to spoil her. When I had taken her home, I spent the entire night with her, while she laid on my lap. However I had noticed that she had had some type of cough. The next morning, less than 24 hours I had called up the shelter and they said she was tested and treated for everything and that she was my responsibility. (Before you stop reading it gets worse.) I thought that was a little rude but realized that most cats have an upper respiratory problem and she could've gotten something at the shelter. So I immediately scheduled an appointment at my pet hospital. They prescribed me medication for the cough and I thought she would get better. A few days went by and she had gotten worse. Another trip to the vet and they gave me more medicine. After that dosage ran out the vet prescribed a shot that would be better suited since the cat did not like taking the liquid medication anyway. Just when I thought things were looking up for her, things had gotten worse. I had noticed that she had some type of worm sticking out of her butt. Immediately I took her to the vet once again and got medicine. At this point I had called up Barcs where they had said that she had not been tested for tapeworms when they had known she was infested with fleas when she had come in. Even though they had told me that she was tested the day I went to pick her up where they assured me that the fleas were killed and that she had no health problems. After I had once again talked to the shelter, they told me that she was no longer their problem anymore. Later that day I had noticed that she was laying on my couch and that she looked as if she was soaked. I walked closer to her and noticed a foul stench. She had urinated all over herself and was just laying in it. After I saw that I knew that she was not okay. There was something seriously wrong with her. I called up my vet and explained the entire situation and my vet said that it was most likely kidney failure. At this point I was so upset and didn't know what to do. I drove up to barcs with my cat and demanded answers. They told me that they were not responsible and continued to tell me misguiding information which didn't fit what I was originally told about the cat. So at this point I have spent over 800 in vet bills trying to help my baby and have no cat. And it has only been a few weeks. What started as an exciting experience turned into a nightmare. I cannot even express the disappointment I feel towards barcs and the operation they are running. read more