It can be tough keeping Baltimore’s animal shelters straight. People often confuse BARCS, the Baltimore County Animal Shelter, the Baltimore Humane Society, and the MD SPCA.
The MD SPCA is the one on Falls Road. It finds homes for over 3,500 animals every year.
And it’s not just a shelter. It also acts as a rescue organization. Last year, it pulled nearly 1,600 animals from other shelters, nearly 1,200 of those from Baltimore shelters, like BARCS and the Baltimore County Animal Shelter.
The MD SPCA sees its mission as helping pets and people in the community, offering programs like a low-cost spay/neuter clinic, training and behavior classes, education and community outreach.
Since the MD SPCA plays such an important role in Baltimore’s sheltering framework, I thought you’d like to meet new MD SPCA Executive Director Jim Peirce. Yes, the “e“ comes before the “i.” 🙂
Jim sees his long career in three parts, like legs of a stool. The first [leg] was his background in business, working in sales and marketing.
He built the second leg when he entered the non-profit world, at the International Youth Foundation in Baltimore.
After 12 years there, he took a break, went to Australia, and volunteered at a Melbourne animal shelter, discovering the third leg of the stool…a passion for animals.
Peirce brings that passion to his new post leading the MD SPCA and believes his background in both business and non-profit will help him.
Here are some of the future challenges he foresees.
With local shelter intake numbers dropping, “That means there are less animals to fill the available shelter space”, he says. “…How do we fill the shelter space? We start reaching out to other shelters beyond our immediate circle who still have a need…”
This means the MD SPCA must grow its transport capability.
Another focus, he says, will be helping people keep their pets despite difficult circumstances.
“Pets in low-income households…are they getting fed and are they getting the veterinary care they need?”
If the MD SPCA can help these people accomplish those goals, chances are the pets will stay in their homes and out of local shelters.
The MD SPCA has travelled a long road in its 148 years. It was started by citizens concerned about the welfare of Baltimore work horses and has evolved into an integral part of our local sheltering system.
Now Peirce and his staff are creating a strategic plan to guide the organization to the year 2020.
There will surely be many challenges in the next several years. Peirce looks forward to finding new ways to help both the pets and people of the Baltimore community.
Watch this short video to meet Jim Peirce and hear more about his vision for the MD SPCA.