The call came in Friday morning, August 5, 2022, at 6:30 a.m. Kelly Brown, President of the Anne Arundel County SPCA, was home in Crownsville and, as yet, unaware of the destruction. The SPCA’s caretaker, who lived on the grounds, was calling to report major damage. An overnight tornado had ripped off the roof of the intake building, rolling it back like the lid of a sardine can. Beneath the rubble some 50 cats and dogs hovered, leaving them exposed to rain, wind, and fear.
Brown’s first reaction, “Are the animals okay?” quickly transitioned to “We have to get the animals out.”
With every dog run already full, a countywide emergency effort began. Dogs were sent home with staff and volunteers. Foster families arrived to take in temporary pets. Cats were cushioned in corners of adjacent buildings where cages suddenly sprang up.
But the storm’s message was clear.
As the animals were moved out or sheltered in makeshift spaces on the grounds, expansion plans for the 100-year-old animal welfare organization—already years in planning—would have to move up.
Or as Brown says, “Mother Nature pushed us.”
Pandemic Pressure
Think of your grandmother’s attic. An overstuffed closet. The trunk of a car taking a kid to college.
In the months following the loss of the intake building, Brown and her team utilized every square inch of space within the SPCA’s two remaining buildings: The Mary E. Parker Shelter that opened in 1986 and the original administration building, built in 1920. Not only did they have to house dogs and cats formerly cared for in the damaged building, but also a rising tide of pets following the pandemic. Both Brown and Operations Manager Christopher Jimenez, who has been with the SPCA since 2013, lament a recent spike in surrenders. Most telling, they are seeing dogs about two years-old, many not spayed or altered.
“It’s pretty clear the breeders kicked up during Covid,” Brown notes.
The increase in surrendered pets adds even more stress to a facility already under pressure. A behind-the-scenes tour reveals the staff’s determination to ensure each animal’s care, regardless of where they are housed. Cages share areas designated for other purposes in almost every room, including the food pantry, supply areas and clinic.
One quickly gets the sense that animals are “everywhere”—albeit safe, clean, and well-attended.
Brown’s most common refrain “It’s all about the animals” echoes throughout the buildings. Even in her office, a small, cramped space off the administration building’s lobby, there is a feline or two. As Brown answers phones or speaks with staff, a handsome, large gray male cat named “Jimmy,” plops down on her desk, softly thumping his tail. And another, “Cat Woman,” who a few years ago was too terrified to emerge from behind the toilet, now purrs in her lap, white paws kneading her arm. A staff member in a nearby room works alongside a medium-sized, black lab-mix snoozing happily at her feet. “He just needed some time out of his crate,” she says.
On the night/early morning of August 4th into the 5th of 2022, a tornado blew through Annapolis, directly striking the SPCA facilities (pictured above left). Extreme damage necessitated the relocation of the sheltered animals and prompted a major reconstruction/renovation of building. Also pictured is the rendering of the new facility, slated to open by the end of this year.
No Kill
Spend any time at the SPCA and it becomes clear that its pace, priorities, and personality very much reflect that of its president.
Raised in Anne Arundel County, Kelly Brown had a successful career in retail, fashion, and interior design before she met SPCA board member Fred Graul. She was helping with a gala to benefit Anne Arundel Medical Center when Graul recruited her for the SPCA. Today, he speaks of her almost with reverence. “She’s more devoted than anybody I know. She lives the SPCA.”
In the last ten years, the SPCA has undergone dramatic changes. Probably most profound is its status as a “No kill shelter.” Adopted in 2013, the shelter implemented the program over two years. Although no agency officially sanctions “No-kill,” the moniker means an organization has at least a 90 percent placement rate for their animals. It also means medical care is available and euthanasia is rare.
When “euthanasia” comes up, Brown turns quiet. She clearly doesn’t want to address letting an animal go and says, “it happens rarely.” Even when an animal is brought to the shelter for that reason, staff counsel the owners to find a way to treat the pet and save it for adoption.
That includes behavioral issues as well. Each animal is evaluated not only medically, but also “mentally.” The SPCA frequently pays outside professionals to board and train dogs to get them adoptable. As Brown notes, “Sometimes the trainer falls in love with the dog and adopts him.” She also acknowledges the team is cautious in finding professionals whom they trust.
The no-kill stance has prompted other changes. The adoption procedure was modified to ensure there is a “good fit for both the people and the animals.” While some applicants complain that the process is very extensive, it has helped promote a very low return rate, estimated at just 3 percent.
No-kill also necessitated expanding medical services. The shelter offers low-cost vaccination and spay-and-neuter clinics for the community. During Covid, staff and volunteers streamlined vaccinations with a “drive-through” process.” Owners remained in their cars as volunteers escorted their pets into the clinic.
A full-time veterinarian is on staff to handle most of the animals’ needs, as well as spaying and neutering, a mandate for all dogs and cats. When an animal needs more extensive care, the shelter turns to area veterinary practices that discount their fees. Nevertheless, medical care is very expensive. Costs can top $150,000 a year. A designated fund—The Besty Medical Fund—encourages donations for extraordinary medical care that the shelter cannot perform, such as x-rays and surgery.
Dog Walks
With a staff of 30 full- and part-time employees, the SPCA cherishes its cadre of some 450 volunteers. Like the animals in their care, volunteers at the SPCA seem to be everywhere. “We’re always looking for volunteers,” Jiminez says, “Especially those who want to walk dogs.”
All dogs get walked at least twice a day. Volunteers can choose their canine companion and head off to one of several wooded trails on the SPCA’s 11-acre property. Volunteers help socialize kittens and cats. They also assist with spay and neuter and vaccination clinics, washing and folding hundreds of blankets and towels daily, and outreach and fundraising events.
The only requirement is a commitment of six hours per month. While many volunteers are retired, a Parent-Teen program allows for adolescents as young as 13 to participate, as long as there is a parent or adult present. Brown says parents often report that they see positive changes in their teenagers. “It’s a feel-good place,” Brown says, with Cat Woman still purring by her side.
“We raise money to save as many as we can. The community has embraced our no-kill status and supports us. We are very transparent in what we do,” —Kelly Brown
Reaching Out
Annually, the SPCA hosts several programs and events that attract thousands of animal-lovers. Events like Walk for the Animals, the Puppy Plunge and numerous dog-friendly wine tastings, cruises, and walks, convey the SPCA’s core mission—to provide shelter and humane care for homeless animals, and to see every animal safely adopted by a loving family.
Paws at the Mall was a dream of Brown’s for years. And in 2020, the SPCA opened an adoptions and retail outlet in the family wing of the Annapolis Westfield Mall. Located across from the Anne Arundel County Public Library branch, “Paws at the Mall” showcases cats and other “Smalls,” like guinea pigs, hamsters, sugar gliders, and rabbits. Wildly popular, the outlet has been responsible for the adoption of more than 1,700 animals and merchandise sales that support SPCA operations. The site was the lead subject of a recent NBC national news story on creative uses by malls to attract and entertain shoppers.
Lights on the Bay was acquired from Luminis Health’s Anne Arundel Medical Center in 2017. Lights on the Bay is a holiday light show that features a two-mile scenic drive through Sandy Point State Park. Open from Thanksgiving through New Year’s, it delights children and families and raises significant support for the shelter.
Fundraising, in general, includes several smaller events and campaigns throughout the year. With an annual budget of approximately $2 million, donations are critical. Like many nonprofit organizations, SPCA relies on the generosity of donors to sustain its work. The no-kill status, while cheered by the community, adds to costs. As its website states, “There is no time limit placed on how long an animal is available for adoption.” The average shelter stay is a few weeks to months, but some animals stay for years.
A Philosophy that Puts the Animals First
Operations Manager Chris Jimenez is grateful he was with the SPCA during its transition to the no-kill era. Responsible for both employees and volunteers, Jimenez is careful about hiring. “Most of the staff come with the right mindset,” he says. “If there are differences, it usually comes from a place of care. If we’re not happy as a team, it’s not best for the animals.”
Safety concerns—for both the people and animals—are high on his list. A large man, he emphasizes that it is not size or race that matters. “It’s about your personality, your energy. If you are not calm, cool, collected, and confident, it’s not good for the animals. If you’re flighty or insecure, the animals will pick up on it.”
Cody is an example. The 100-pound Malamute/Husky, stunning with a thick gray, black, and white coat, enjoys a cage in front of the administration building. While he lounges peacefully outside in good weather, Jiminez says Cody is very discerning about his caretaker.
“A dog will let you know if he is comfortable with you. If in doubt we get a trainer. Cody has a small group of people he is comfortable with. He still gets walks, but just with that small group.”
What disturbs Jiminez most is the “old school” mentality of owning a dog, something he sees in newcomers to the area and often immigrants. “They’re often kept as yard dogs. They never come inside. A lot are not up to date on their vaccines, or spayed or neutered.”
Both Brown and Jiminez decry the number of animals who are not spayed or neutered, simply adding to the population of unwanted animals. They also cannot fathom why more pets don’t get vaccinated. Says Jiminez, “A $5 rabies vaccine is pretty accessible. If you can’t do that, you probably shouldn’t have a pet.”
Like Brown, he wants to educate the community more to take advantage of their clinics. “There are so many new people who need to know how to care for animals properly.” As for certain breeds being more “dangerous” than others, Brown admits there is a reason people are fearful. “Over the years different breeds have gotten a bad reputation: German shepherds, Dobermans, even Huskies.” She is sensitive to public comments that “All you have are pit bulls.”
“When we get a pit bull in, we have to learn about him,” Brown says. “We may ask a trainer on our staff. Or we have volunteers who have been here for years. We assess them and develop a plan. We do everything we can medically, behaviorally, and, obviously, to socialize them so they can be adopted.”
Brown and Jiminez reserve special gratitude for those adopters who are looking for “the underdog,” a dog or cat who has lived at the shelter for years—like the barn cats. These felines were born to catch rodents and prefer to live outside. Housed on the second floor of the admin building, they await the new owner who arrives ready to give them a job.
Their biggest joy is witnessing an adoption, especially when a dog comes in sick or struggling. A few years ago, someone dropped off a litter of nine pups. All were diagnosed with Parvo, a highly infectious disease that often proves fatal to puppies and young dogs. Vaccines can prevent it, but too often animals surrendered to the SPCA are unvaccinated. The litter required 24-hour care from the start and full isolation. The cost ran up to the thousands. “We saved all but one,” Brown says.
Runs, Runs, and More Runs
As the largest and oldest animal welfare organization in the county, the SPCA will open its first new building in nearly 40 years. The “Intake Building” will have three times more capacity for dogs than the storm-ravaged structure it replaces. At 11,000 square feet and a cost of $5 million, the two-story building will accommodate adoption, surrender, isolation, and euthanasia.
On a recent tour prior to its opening, Brown displayed her characteristic concern for “the animals first.” Inside the building’s entrance is an area where visitors will see cats, so “you are met with animals right away.” The main floor houses the pharmacy, lab, feeding areas, a grooming room, spaces for the “Smalls,” and interior spaces for data-entry and other office work.
At its core are the 70 indoor/outdoor dog kennels, or “runs,” that frame the exterior of the building. Each ends with a door that allows the dog to enjoy the enclosed, outdoor yard.
The ground level offers flexible space for volunteer training and other activities, a dog activity area, rooms for large supplies, and smaller isolation areas for animals needing special care. The building has two washers and dryers on each floor. In the current layout, one washer and dryer work 24/7 to keep up with the piles of blankets, towels, and other laundry that need continuous cleaning.
“What I want most with this building is to plan for the future,” Brown says. “Animal sheltering has changed. We need more flex spaces and enough storage space so we can expand or change our operations.”
Attesting to her planning, every room seems to have a place for dogs, or flex space that can shelter them if needed. At every stop on our tour she adds “and there will be a space for dogs or cats.”
At capacity, Brown estimates the SPCA will need eight to ten more animal caretakers. These may be students, high school kids who want summer jobs or college kids interested in animal care.
What’s Next?
Brown compares the challenge of redesigning and rebuilding the SPCA to the rebuilding of a hospital. Both care for live beings 24/7. Their essential life-saving functions cannot be interrupted. Both require funding for ongoing operations while also needing funding for new construction.
More construction is ahead. After the Phase One intake building is fully operational, Phase Two will replace the 40-year-old shelter and the 1920 Administration Building. Despite the sentimental value of the original building, even a cursory walk-through of space makes it clear it has long outlived its usefulness.
Brown understands the next 3–5 years will bring lots of challenges. With the new building the SPCA will be responsible for upwards of 500 animals at any one time, including those at the mall outlet. But she is unwavering in her faith in the community for its support, and in the undeniable reality that more and more animals will need the SPCA’s special brand of compassion, care, and love.
“I wish people would all adopt from here because there are fabulous animals in the shelter, and they are just as loving and just as beautiful and just as wonderful as a pure breed…and these animals need homes,” she says.
As if in agreement, Cat Woman stretches, shakes her fluffy head, and settles again in Brown’s lap.
“These are my babies,” Brown says, cooing into the furry face that looks up into hers. Nearby, a particularly rambunctious terrier seems unhappy in his cage, jumping up, beckoning with button brown eyes. He is irresistible. Brown knows it.
“I may have to take that one home tonight,” she says, “Maybe just for a few days.”
To learn more about the SPCA of Anne Arundel County, including how to volunteer at the shelter, needed donation items, how to foster or adopt animals, and more about the organization’s events, visit aacspca.org.
