Welcome! Since 2005, Mary Swift Photography has teamed up with the Baltimore Humane Society in an effort to capture all of its animals’ personalities on film and help them find their forever homes. Here you will find photos and stories of just a few of the many pets that are still waiting patiently to be adopted.  Occasionally you’ll see pets from other organizations here as well, since I volunteer with several different rescues. Please check back often, as I will be updating this blog regularly with more photos of adoptable animals. Maybe you’ll find your next family member here!
(Please note: I am not an employee of the BHS, just a volunteer… so if you’re interested in adopting someone you see here, please contact the organization directly. Thanks!)

For more animals available for adoption, visit www.bmorehumane.org.
To see more of my work, visit www.maryswiftphotography.com.

A busy year… and one Sirius-ly awesome dog!

Hi everyone… I want to sincerely apologize for being such a terrible blogger over the past few months!  2013 has been a really busy year so far, partially due to the fact that I’m volunteering with more shelters and rescue groups than ever.  While I love being able to work with multiple groups to photograph as many homeless animals as possible, unfortunately that leaves less and less time for putting together blog posts.  I also feel like perhaps the animals are getting more exposure through Facebook than this blog, so that’s where I’m concentrating more of my efforts to share their photos and stories.  I may post here from time to time, and I do hope to start posting more regularly again someday, but right now please “like” me on facebook to see new photos of adoptables from shelters and rescues all over the Baltimore area!  www.facebook.com/maryswiftphotography

For now, I’ll leave you with an updated photo of Brutus (you can read more about him here), as he continues to wait for his forever home.  Here he is sporting his new Sirius Republic collar!  Sirius Republic is a big supporter of rescue efforts and they were so incredibly generous to donate some “Adopt Me” collars to the dogs at the Baltimore Humane Society.  If you haven’t checked out this awesome company yet, be sure to visit www.siriusrepublic.com and pick out a gorgeous handmade collar for your own pooch!  You can even use the code RPBH65 and some of the proceeds from your purchase will be donated to BHS.  Thank you Sirius Republic!!

Diamond

Diamond is one of my absolute FAVORITE girls at the humane society right now!  She’s been there since March 2011, and I am completely baffled that she hasn’t found a home yet.  She’s so loving and adorable, and she always has a smile on her face.  If you walk up to her door in the dog kennel, she’ll lean up against it and beg to be petted through the bars.  Diamond is a spirited girl with lots of energy, and would love to have an active family.  She was thrilled to play with the squeaky toy that I had and it was hilarious to watch her kick it around and pounce on it over and over again.  (I really wish I had some video of it.)  Once she tired herself out a bit, she was happy to come lean up against us for some affection and then made herself comfortable in Brian’s lap.  She would be such an amazing companion for someone!  Diamond is about 2 1/2 years old and she’s a petite 45 lbs. (not too big, not too small!).  Somebody please adopt this gorgeous little girl!  You can visit her at the Baltimore Humane Society in Reisterstown, Tues-Sun, 12-6 pm.

(UPDATE: After a very long 2 years and 6 months, Diamond has finally found her forever home!)

Patches

Patches is one cool cat who has been at the BHS since October 2011.  He’s 6 years old, and he was surrendered to the shelter because his owner had too many animals.  He’s a big boy who is part of the shelter’s “Phat Cat Fitness Camp” program, which helps some of the larger kitties shed some of their extra pounds.  Isn’t he so handsome?  I just wish I had more information on him.  Please go visit the BHS to meet him in person… he’s a sweet and mellow boy who’s been waiting a long time for a home!

  

Layla

On Sunday I had the pleasure of meeting Layla, a beautiful little Min Pin available for adoption through AARF.  I met her foster mom at a local park in Baltimore and we had a very quick mini-session… poor Layla was freezing!  The camera made her nervous too, but despite all that, she was a great model.

Layla was originally found on the side of the road a couple of years ago but never found her forever home, so she was recently rescued by her foster mom.  Suddenly last week she had to be rushed to the emergency vet and it was discovered that she has diabetes.  The rescue didn’t have the funds to pay her $1300 vet bill, so her foster mom is paying it out of her own pocket.  A ChipIn has been set up to help her out with the medical expenses… if you’d like to donate a few dollars, you can do so here! 
http://fundsforlayla.chipin.com/jana-deoliveira-and-layla-the-pup

Layla is doing much better now with her daily insulin.  If anyone is interested in adopting this sweet and energetic little girl, please contact AARF at info@animalalliesrescue.org.

(UPDATE: Layla has been adopted!)

Growing up in the shelter

This past weekend I realized that there were several cats at BHS that were in desperate need of updated photos.  These were cats that had arrived at the shelter months ago as adorable little kittens… which normally are adopted very quickly, but for some reason these kitties were overlooked time and time again.  Therefore, they’ve been growing up in the shelter and are no longer the tiny cute balls of fluff that people usually snatch up so quickly.  The fact that most of them are black cats doesn’t help matters any, since black cats are often the last to be adopted.

House, Cuddy, Lambchop, Elena, King Julian, Madagascar, and Maurice are all living together in one of the communal cat rooms at BHS, so I decided to stop in there a few days ago to get some new photos.  I expected to be in and out in just a few minutes, but I wasn’t prepared for what greeted me on the other side of the door.  Oh. My. Goodness.  I was immediately swarmed by lots of happy cats when I walked in the door and was suddenly overwhelmed with the amount of affection they all wanted to give me!  I was in kitty heaven… these are some of the most loving cats I’ve ever met.  Which makes me even more sad for them, because I know they could have gone home a long time ago if people had just taken the time to meet them and see what incredible personalities they have.  Needless to say, I spent a lot of time cuddling with them.  House is one of my favorites… he’s so outgoing and sweet.  If my house wasn’t already full, I might have ignored protests from my husband and applied to adopt him.    You MUST go meet these cats!  They may not be tiny kittens but they’re still young, between 6-8 months old.  Please don’t let them grow up in the shelter!

House:  Male, 7 months old  (UPDATE: House has been adopted!)

Cuddy: Female, 7 months old  (UPDATE: Cuddy has been adopted!)

Elena: Female, 8 months old  (UPDATE: Elena has been adopted!)

Lambchop: Female, 8 months old

King Julian: Male, 6 months old (UPDATE: King Julian has been adopted!)

Madagascar: Male, 6 months old (UPDATE: Madagascar has been adopted!)

Maurice: Male, 6 months old (UPDATE: Maurice has been adopted!)

Willow

I first met Willow two years ago, when she arrived at the BHS as a wiggly little 15-lb. puppy.  She was adopted, but then returned after a few months because the other dog in the home had attacked her.  Willow was adopted again and her new owners loved her very much, but unfortunately there were still issues between her and the other pets in the house, so now she is once again looking for her forever home.  Willow is super sweet and absolutely adores people, but she would like to be the only pet.  She is a “special needs” dog because she has Addison’s disease, meaning there is a deficiency of a corticosteroid hormone that manages how her body handles stress.  The disease is manageable, but a stressful shelter environment is not good for Willow and it would be wonderful if she could find a foster home to relax in while she waits for her forever family to come along.  Please consider stepping up to foster her to give her the best possible chance of finding a home soon!  For more information on Addison’s disease, visit
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=608
.  If you’re interested in fostering, please contact Melissa at mmcclelland@bmorehumane.org.

Luggy

Today I’d like to introduce you to another long-time resident of the BHS… meet Luggy!  This girl has been waiting patiently for a home since January 2011.  I’m not sure why she keeps getting overlooked, but I’m hoping she can find a home before she hits that 2-year anniversary of being a shelter resident… she’s waited long enough!  Luggy is an independent girl who is full of personality, and she’s guaranteed to make you laugh with her antics.  She’s currently residing in a room with several other cats who are part of the humane society’s “Phat Cat Fitness Camp”, a program designed to help some of the larger kitties there lose some weight.  She’s been doing great and shedding some unwanted pounds, and she can’t wait to get into a real home that will help give her lots of play and exercise so she can keep her figure.  Luggy is about 3 years old, is spayed and housetrained, and would prefer a home without dogs.  Think she could be the girl for you?  Please go visit her!