At the first event of the year, CREWBaltimore had the pleasure of joining an impressive group for the Construction Tour of Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS) and home to Baltimore City Animal Services’ brand new, 37,400 square foot state-of-the-art animal facility located in Chery Hill. The guest speakers, moderated by Kimberly Clark of Baltimore Development Corporation, included Sharon Colburn (Director of Animal Services, Baltimore City Health Department), Darryl Richardson (Project Manager, Plano-Coudon Construction), Nate McNeill (Assistant Project Manager, Manns Woodward Studios), and Mike Sabo (Principal, Budova Engineering). All companies that participated have an active member in CREWBaltimore, making this a true CREWBaltimore hosted event!
The group discussed their overall goal, making a facility that would increase not only efficiency, but provide services to increase animal health and community engagement. The beautiful complex includes amenity-like features for all the animals. Some new features include a “Cat Flat” for sun-loving cats can spend the day laying in rooms with plenty of sunlight, and plumbing lines to each of the 116-dog kennels, allowing the volunteers to fill all dog bowls by the flip of a valve.
The shelter is equipped with a new medical facility where they can treat and provide medical intakes for all animals that are brought to the shelter, and even perform necessary procedures on animals in need. The shelter also includes areas to house adoptable animals ranging from dogs and cats to small mammals and reptiles. They also have areas dedicated for potential adoption meet and greats, training rooms, and outdoor space for dogs to play, and much more.
The facility provides a space for all departments that make up BARCS and Baltimore City Animal Services to call home. Allowing everyone to be under one roof was their goal to make the organization more efficient on many levels. The project is not only impressive and state of the art, but one that brings a lot of hope to not only Baltimore, but the thousands of animals up for adoption at BARCS every year.