WHo
we
are
It began with an idea… reading post after post on the next door app from neighbors pleading with members of the community for help with medical costs or food to support their pet, and ultimately making the difficult decision to surrender a pet because they were no longer able to give them the care they deserved. with the rise of inflation and an uncertain economy in our future, I was determined to find a way to help shelter pets, beyond the taglines.
“adopt don’t shop” is not enough!
our multi-pronged approach to helping shelter dogs & cats addresses the problem from all angles:
from preventing PETs FROM being SURRENDERed to animal shelters in the first place,
to relentless advocacy for animal safety by lobbying for increased penalties & legislation to our local, state, and federal government officials to stop ILlegal puppy mills from operating and eliminate irresponsible “backyard” breeding
through education and tighter restrictions on the sale of puppies.
our commitment is to the animals that cannot speak for themselves, but our support is for their caregivers.
THE PAWS & PEOPLE NETWORK Is a grassroots organization comprised of hardworking staff & volunteers that are dedicated to the wellbeing of dogs & cats (and quite frankly, pets of any kind), and have a strong desire to collaborate with animal welfare organizations throughout maryland to end the shelter crisis in our state. we do this by first focusing in our own backyards & communities.
P.A.W.S. = PROVIDING ANIMAL WELFARE SOLUTIONS
PAWS BALTIMORE is the first & main project of PPN (PAWS & PEOPLE Network) that is geographically focused on serving pets & their caregivers in Baltimore county. there are hundreds, if not thousands, of shelters, rescue groups & other animal welfare organizations throughout Baltimore city, but very few nonprofits are focused specifically on the county. with increase acreage/land held by Baltimore county residents, there is greater potential for illegal breeding and incidents of animal hoarding that must be addressed. there is also an increased likelihood of incidents involving unhoused/stray dogs & cats, unwanted animal pregnancies, and animal surrender due to changing circumstances of pet caregivers. So we feel that there are plenty of untapped opportunities to keep pets from entering the county shelters like the humane society of maryland. We also remain focused on reducing the shelter populations in the county so that there are resources available to help the city shelters when they are overwhelmed.
* * * * * * *
I’m a wife, mom, sister, daughter, pet pawrent, and grandmother of five; the most constant thing in my life other than breathing air, has been having dogs by my side.
I have a 20 year background in healthcare and 15 years experience in philanthropy as the executive director of a nonprofit organization in Maryland. I’ve served as a board member for various nonprofit organization throughout Baltimore, and helped start a $5M private foundation from the ground up. But most importantly, I lifelong dog lover with a burning desire to change the landscape of animal welfare by tackling the shelter problem upstream, rather than through direct-service or emergency needs support. The services provided by animal fosters, shelter organizations, and breed specific rescue groups are invaluable in Baltimore city & county, and require an unfathomable amount of hard work, and an unmatched level of dedication; without them, hundreds of thousands of adoptable dogs & cats would be unnecessarily euthanized every year. But unfortunately, over time, the outcomes of this work is akin to putting a bandaid on a gunshot wound. We simply MUST stop the gunshots from occurring in the first place, rather than continuously dressing the wounds.
That is where P.A.W.S. steps in…
ABOUT
THE
FOUNDER
What we do
Our mission is to provide essential welfare solutions to keep Baltimore County’s pets in loving homes and out of shelters.
The Baltimore County PAWS & People Network (PAWS Baltimore), aims to keep beloved companion animals out of our overcrowded and overburdened shelters and in the loving homes they already know.
We do this by providing a range of supportive services to pets & their families in need. Whether it’s helping cover medical expenses, offering temporary foster care during housing interruption and uncertainty, or providing food, medication, or training resources, our primary goal is to keep pets and their families together.
In addition to direct support, we advocate for tougher animal welfare laws - especially in Baltimore County where BCPD has been historically disinterested and ill-equipped to investigate or charge residents accused of animal mistreatment or abuse, especially when the animal is their own pet. We have heard far too many stories of police being called after witnessing animal abuse or neglect, and the officers respond with “people can discipline their dogs however they see fit.” We’re also focused on increasing legislation around breeding practices and puppy mills to ensure that fewer unwanted animals are born. By advocating for more responsible breeding standards and supporting policy changes in favor of animal welfare over entrepreneurship, we strive to create a community where every pet can live a safe, happy, and healthy life, out of county shelters & foster homes, and far from the threat of euthanasia.
Our organization aims to reduce the shelter population at its point of entry by focusing as much time, money, resources, and effort as humanly possible to prevent dogs & cats from entering shelters in the first place. We also strive to establish & support campaigns aimed at increasing legislature to eliminate unwanted pet births by shutting down puppy mills, restricting irresponsibles breeding from inexperienced breeders, and preventing stray animal pregnancies.
We do this by starting small, and by small I mean the littlest of people — educating the youngest community members on the dangers of inexperienced breeding in hopes that they might influence family members, and ultimately choose more wisely when they become adults. We visit pre-k, kindergarten and grade school classrooms with dogs & cats to foster an early respect and compassion for animals at a time when children are most impressionable. Having a classroom pet is not always possible for some teachers & schools, so we fill the gaps by bringing in our champion crew of volunteers to spread awareness to children about how special and precious it is to have a dog or cat as a member of your family, or even just in your community or neighborhood. Unfortunately, some parents were not allowed to have pets as children, so their children are typically not exposed to pets in childhood either; without exposure to a family member or friend’s dog or cat, these kids usually grow up fearing cats and dogs, and generally regard all dogs as wild, dangerous, and/or filthy animals that belong outdoors or in cages. These children are the ones I am most eager to meet!
We also help to educate young adults by visiting high schools and college campuses, and getting the most influential voices, the future of our nation, informed and involved about the shelter crisis and how easily we all can help to prevent unwanted dogs & cats from entering shelters by remembering that pets are family members that should not be discarded like old shoes when they grow out of the cute puppy stage, or when they make a mistake. We can instill in them the tools for basic training their pets, so that in the event that the unfathomable happens and a pet must be surrendered, that they are well trained and can easily find a new home. But most importantly, we can encourage them to advocate for the voiceless pets in their communities by reporting situations of animal hoarding andl abuse, and to help end the business of puppy mills by making friends, family, colleagues and community members aware of the harm they cause, how sick and poorly bred the dogs are, and how purchase of animals is what keeps the mills in business.
Aside from education & awareness efforts, and lobbying for changes in animal welfare legislation, the PAWS & People Network of Baltimore County offers various services through it’s PAWS Baltimore program, to support pet families & caregivers so that they can keep their beloved pets in their homes.
More information about these services can be found on our SERVICES page.
HOW WE DO IT
Are you facing the impossible decision of surrendering your beloved pet because of illness, injury, unsecure housing, job loss, lack of funds for veterinary care, or recurring behavioral issues?
If so, please take a PAWS and consider contacting us for help
Contact us
Interested in working together? Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly. We can’t wait to hear from you!