One of the hardest things about being a volunteer at an animal shelter in the city is that it is almost always full. There are more animals coming in than there are going out and that creates a situation in which people have to make some very difficult decisions. These decisions are heartbreaking for everyone. We wouldn’t be there if we didn’t love the animals and we all wish we could save each and every one of them.
Many of us always have a favorite dog who we walk first when we get to the shelter, bring special treats for and work extra hard to help get adopted. Every now and then you find out that your favorite dog, who you have promised that you would never let him down, has drawn the unfortunate number because the shelter is full and there just isn’t room for him any more.
One of us got this call about Yoshi tonight. Yoshi’s favorite volunteer will be picking him up tomorrow to save him from the fate of so many shelter dogs in Maryland. She will whisk him off to a safe place where he will stay until some very lucky person adopts him. She will do this because she promised Yoshi that she wouldn’t let him down and that she would find him a family to love him forever.
This may be where you come in. If you have room in your home and in your heart for a new best friend, you might be the family that Yoshi has been looking for.
In the words of his favorite volunteer: “Yoshi has been at the shelter since January – way too long. He’s a volunteer favorite because he is SO sweet and he is seriously the best snuggler and kisser! Out of the shelter, everyone falls in love with this total ham. He clearly LOVES attention and outings and makes it clear by flashing his winning smile peeking out from under that cute pink, black and white speckled nose. Yoshi did great with kids and other dogs, even in all the crowds and screaming bag pipes of the Baltimore St. Patrick’s Day Parade! Yoshi knows “sit” and does really well on leash once he gets the zoomies out of him from being stuck in the kennel. We’re trying to work with him to not become such a Mexican jumping bean when he thinks he’s going to be taken out of the kennel, because we think maybe potential adopters think he is unmanageable, but truly he’s not – he calms down within a minute or two of getting outside. Yoshi gets along with all the other dogs in play group. He is also the perfect size, a bit smaller than most of our terrier mixes, but not TOO small – just right. So give Yoshi a chance. You’ll be assured an affectionate best friend always game for adventure!”
Adopting a shelter dog is truly saving a life. The shelters cannot save animals without support from the community in the form of adoptions, fostering, volunteering and donations. If you would like to meet Yoshi, you may contact me at melissa.trotman@gmail.com for more information about him. If you cannot adopt Yoshi, but would like to help him find a loving forever family, please share his story via email or social media.
Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS) is located at 301 Stockholm St., Baltimore, MD. 21230. BARCS is open to the public Monday through Friday 2pm-6pm and Saturday and Sunday 11am-4pm.
See their website at http://baltimoreanimalshelter.org/. For more information about volunteering, fostering or adopting from BARCS, please contact Melissa Trotman at melissa.trotman@gmail.com.
