Last year Talbot Humane hit a fabulous milestone. Between our low cost spay/neuter services, online re-homing assistance and our intervention and retention program (this includes but is not limited to the pet pantry, assistance with urgent pet needs and supplies), we directly served more than 1,500 community pets in 2018. During this same calendar year, our open admission shelter saw the lowest intake of shelter animals in more than two decades. The connection is direct and positive. Our mission of reducing acts of cruelty and neglect, providing resources and education to the public, helping every treatable and adoptable pet find a forever home and keeping pets in the care of loving owners is one step closer every day. This is in large part because of you.

I don’t think when the photo of the bag of puppies left on the side of a Talbot County road ran in the Star Democrat on November 5, 1948, anyone ever imagined a day when puppies rarely entered our care at Talbot Humane and the number of kittens is lowered each year. But, thanks to aggressive spay/neuter programming over the past 20 years and a community that is educated on how to help our neighborhood animals we are there.  

After more than 16 months of work with the Talbot County Animal Control Board, local citizens and Talbot County business owners, in April 2019 the Talbot County Council approved updates to our local animal control ordinance. These updates will ensure animals have more humane treatment in Talbot County. Prohibiting dogs from living their lives on tethers and requiring special care for animals during times of extreme weather will help prevent suffering. The new licensing and inspection component will require those who profit from training, boarding, and breeding as well as rescue organizations to fulfill a minimum standard of care for the animals in their charge. These changes happened because of your voices speaking up for the animals who need us most.

We have come far in the 87 years Talbot Humane (formerly Talbot County Humane Society) has been a presence in our community. But we still have so much to do. We are thankful for our humane community, and with your help we look forward to seeing what the next 80 years holds for the animals and people we serve.

For the animals,

Patty Crankshaw-Quimby

What a deal- our microchip service fee has been cut IN HALF for a limited time! 

According to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy (NCPPSP), less than 2 percent of cats and only 15 to 20 percent of dogs are returned to their owners. This is a sad statistic, but it’s true! Your dog and cat cannot tell us their name, address or phone number- that is without your help!

Talbot Humane wants to increase the chances of reunited lost pets and owners.  One safe and effective way to provide identification is through having your pet microchipped.  In recognition of Pet Identification Week which is the 3rd week of April each year, Talbot Humane will be offering microchipping of your dog, cat or ferret for only $10 for the entire month of April. This includes the registration of your chip with HomeAgain and an identification tag.  Now when was the last time you even purchased a collar for $10?

Even if your cat doesn’t go outside, or your dog is always on a leash, accidents happen. Make sure all of your pets are properly identified so they can get home to you in the event of an unforeseen emergency! 

For more information or to schedule an appointment call (410)822-0107 today.  Appointments are available between 11A-4P Monday-Friday 1P-3P on Saturday.

Did you know at any given time 2/3 of the population in our shelter is comprised of felines? These cats come to us for many different reasons; a friendly stray arrives on your porch, someone is moving, a found litter of kittens, aged animals. The most difficult cats to manage in a shelter environment are the free roaming and feral population that people choose to trap and bring to Talbot Humane. When the public brings us these cats they have trapped and say, “ Oh, I know you can find a farm for him.” Well, sadly that is not always the case.

A few things people do not realize. Talbot County code allows for the immediate euthanizing of feral cats.  Talbot Humane’s policy is an emphatic NO on this point. We keep every cat, even those arriving in traps and behaving in an aggressive manner for a period of time for observation. We do our best to mitigate the stress of the shelter for these cats and give them time to decompress. There are many times we find upon allowing these kitties to settle for a few days they are not wild, or feral. They were probably someone’s pet at some point who just let them go.  Other times it is clear these cats are free roaming animals that have no interest in human contact.  A truly feral cat experiences a great deal of stress when confined and are dangerous to those caring for them when living in a cage indefinitely. For a cat to enter the barn cat program they must be somewhat manageable by humans as there is an entire process to acclimating them to a new environment so that they actually remain in the area. Shelter life for the most well-adjusted cat is stressful.  Imagine being a wild cat, not used to human contact in close quarters with humans and other cats. TERRIFYING and frankly inhumane.

For these reasons we are asking for the community’s help! Before you simply set a trap for a cat coming to your property and bring to Talbot Humane please give us a call!  Are you OK with a couple cats but you are afraid 2 will turn into 10? We can help with spay/neuter and vaccinations.   If you really do not want them on your property, they may be coming from another area. Assess to see what is attracting them. Are you feeding other wildlife outside? Are you leaving trash uncovered which attracts wildlife and cats?  Our staff can provide you with humane methods of excluding unwanted animals from your yard, flower beds, and sheds.

Last year our open admission shelter took in 605 felines (each year this number declines a bit!) 68 of those cats were euthanized (this number too continues to decline.) The majority of these felines were euthanized for medical reasons, but a portion were feral or semi feral cats which could not be placed in a new location, often because a property owner refused return of the cats even though we offered spay/neuter services. Our goal is to reduce the number of otherwise healthy, free roaming cats entering the shelter in 2019.  We ask you to consider being a part of the solution and work with Talbot Humane to reduce the number of unwanted animals entering our care and protect the animals of our community.

For the better part of 2018 Talbot Humane, the Talbot County Animal Control Board, business owners and private citizens of Talbot County have been working together to update the Talbot County Code as it applies to animals.  This portion of the Talbot County Code has not been updated since 2006. 

Over the past 12 years we have seen massive progress in the way we look at our pets, knowledge on what causes some behavior issues, and laws and ordinances protecting animals in many areas of the country including many counties right here in Maryland.  We have also witnessed some egregious acts of cruelty and neglect in our own backyard.  How can we forget the 300 cats hoarded in Caroline County a decade ago, the 300 Pomeranians in deplorable conditions in Wicomico county in 2016 or earlier this year not only the 100+ horses left to die in Quantico MD, but the kennel in Anne Arundel County where people trusted a facility to care for their pets, and many did not make it out alive? 

Our office hears from our community in Talbot County and knows they want to see change. They want to see laws protecting animals mirror our values as a community.  They cannot wrap their minds around a dog being out in frigid temperatures, or, an owner being allowed to have a dog live on a chain 24/7.  In recent months multiple Maryland counties have adopted anti-tethering and/or extreme weather ordinances to protect their animals. It is time for Talbot County to do the same. 

Specific areas being updated/added are as follows:

• Extreme weather requirements for animals outdoors
• Anti-tethering ordinance
• Licensing of boarding, breeding, training, rescues facilities

Please review the proposed updates to the county code below.  If you have questions, want to voice your support, or have concerns we ask that you contact our office at patty@talbothumane.org or the Talbot County Office of Law care of Mary O’Donnell at MODonnell@talbotcountymd.gov

Tentatively these changes are to be presented to the Talbot County Council in February 2019. Please show your support for a more humane Talbot County in 2019.

Animal Control Board Proposed Changes to Chapter 15 Jan 31 19

Talbot Humane Memo to Council Jan 31

From now until the end of 2018 friends to the animals are matching up to $4,500 for the animals in need.  

People often ask “how does it cost THAT much to keep a shelter going? Don’t you just feed them?” Well, it is so much more than feeding animals! We serve the community in a number of ways, and unfortunately there is a cost associated with each. Pets are an important part of our lives, and our mission at Talbot Humane remains to protect the animals and serve the citizens.

Here are a few quick facts!

• Our estimated annual budget for this fiscal year is just over $1M. We receive funds for animal control related expenses ONLY from Talbot County. This leave the need to raise more than $600,000 EACH YEAR. 
• We receive NO FUNDING from the national organizations. We are not branches of these organizations or affiliates. 
• These funds are needed to:
  • Keep the animals fed and medically treated
    • this year our above and beyond medical care for the animals in 11 months reached more than $50,000 alone
  • Allows our programs and services to continue to serve residents not only of Talbot County but surrounding areas- such as spaying and neutering more than 1,000 animals each year, our intervention program which keeps pets out of our shelter and other local shelters in the area
  • Keeps our quickly aging building in working order
  • Pay for staff and related staff expenses- a very needed commodity to have trained professionals caring for the animals and serving the community
  • Things you may not even think about- such as cleanings supplies, paper, lawn care, phone service
  • And SO much more!

So, when you wonder where the budget for your local shelters goes to, this is what it takes to continue to serve our communities!

If you are so inclined, from now until December 31st your gifts have been matched up to $4,500.

Mail to PO Box 1143 Easton, MD 21601 or  https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/talbothumane…

Start 2019 making a difference for yourself and animals in need! 

We WILL take the most seasoned couch potato to the finish line with our run:walk training program. If you have the will, you can do it!

This year our team is running the Salisbury Running Festival half marathon. We were a part of the inaugural festival last year and everyone truly enjoyed the experience.

This year thanks to our corporate sponsor, Bay Imprint, the registration fee is lower than ever which means this program is accessible to more friends to the animals! 

This is a get or give fundraising program. You raise funds for the animals in return for a fully supported non-competitive training program which promises to get you to the start line on Saturday April 6, 2019!

Our charity runners are doing an amazing job for the animals with their fundraising efforts! Since the Summer of 2012, our team has collectively raised more than $250,000 for the animals of our community! AMAZING!

For more information on UNLEASHED contact coach Amy Eutsey, (410) 822-0107 or volunteer@talbothumane.org today! We hope to see you on January 2nd!

www.talbothumane.org/volunteer/unleashed

Due to unforeseen circumstances we must postpone tonight’s event at Doc’s Downtown Grille. Keep checking back to find the new date! 

Our Summer Guest Barktenders are the dynamic duo of Matt Spence and Mark Potter! You may know know these guys probably more from their voices- they host the morning shows on WCEI and WINX each day! They will be slinging drinks and trying to raise more than the $1,700 our director raised in March! 

BIG NEWS! Tito’s Handmade Vodka– Vodka for dog people will be MATCHING up to $10,000 in donations for this year’s events! HOW AMAZING IS THAT???? EVERY dollar you give will be doubled this year! 

Dinner and drink specials will be offered and 10% of dinner sales will be donated by our amazing host Chooch! 

If you cannot make the event our virtual tipper is up and running too-https://donatenow.networkforgood.org/guestbarktendertalbothumane 
Join us in raising a glass and $ for the animals in need at Doc’s Downtown Grille!