I drive down the driveway at the crack of dawn, and open the back door to a chorus of squeaky meows from kittens climbing cage bars. Outside the door of the Spay/Neuter Center, eager members of our community line up, bringing their cats and dogs for surgery and vaccinations. Many of them are sacrificing to be sure these animals -- whether feral cats or beloved bedmates -- are getting proper care. They ask about how to help yet another stray living under their deck, and drop an extra $5 in the donation jar. The phone is ringing, the puppies are barking, and my technician is wishing she had stopped for more coffee. So am I. It isn’t even 8am yet, and the Spay/Neuter Center is buzzing with business.

My day moves quickly, surgeries for our community pets in the morning, exams and treatments for our shelter pets in the afternoon. Midday, I spy Olivia, a young black lab mix in the shelter I spayed two days earlier; now she is making her wagging way to a car loaded with two teens and about 20 new toys. She was surrendered to the shelter on Sunday, had surgery on Wednesday, and is on her way to a new home within the week. Short and sweet, her stay, just the way we like it. Fully vaccinated, tested and spayed, she is ready for a healthy long life with a loving new family – she may feel like she has won the lottery, and in that moment, so do I.

People ask me all the time why I left a thriving private practice for shelter work. My one sentence answer is I wanted to do something I could feel really good about every single day. I know all too well animal shelters can get a bum rap. People tell me they can’t bear to see the animals in cages, so they “shop” elsewhere for their new pet. They say they love animals too much to see them in a shelter; it’s too upsetting. I even recently had another veterinarian tell me she was unable to walk into an animal shelter, because the sadness was too overwhelming for her.

I say, if you haven’t been to the Baltimore Humane Society recently, you need to come on by and see us. The flowers are coming up across the 330 acres, the finches have moved into the feeder, and the dogs are frolicking in the outdoor runs and play yard. There’s a lot of work to be done, but more hands make for light work, says the old adage. Truth is, we are about helping you to help the animals, and we think it’s the greatest job in the world.

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Thx for the work that you do! It is great that you are changing people's impression of a shelter!

TotallyLamont , April 22, 2009 | url

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Love your enthusiasm!

Hey there, I wish I could visit your Humane Society! You guys rock!
I can feel the happy energy just reading your blog and the picture says it all! Let's all work together to help the animals!! Good job! And thanks for sharing!

Ming , April 22, 2009 | url

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You must be an angel

Elizabeth, you're an angel in disguise. Noy many humans would do what you did, leaving private practice to help animals in shelters.
I'm from shelter too. And my sister. We love you and what you do for animals. You're one of my favorite persons now. *woof*
Lou & Pebbles
P.S.: you ride motorcycle?

LouPeb , April 22, 2009

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From all us animal lovers- thank you for all you do! I've always been pleased with your work and hope to stop by sometime soon!

ashley , April 22, 2009

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Volunteer @ Balto. Humane Society

Dr. Elizabeth -- we all look forward to seeing you on the days that we work, but hardly ever take the opportunity to say "thank you for being here and for loving and taking such good care of our shelter "babies".

So == THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU !!!

Lane , May 20, 2009

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