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.

Cody

There are so many cats that are long-term residents of the Baltimore Humane Society right now… if I’m counting correctly, 15 of them have been there for a year or more! One of them is Cody, a senior boy who was brought to the shelter because his owner was moving away. He was nervous and scared when he arrived, especially after being so accustomed to living in a home environment for years, and he couldn’t even bring himself to appreciate any attention that visitors might try to give him. It’s sad to think that Cody has been waiting for a home for an entire year now, but the good news is that he’s much more relaxed and comfortable than he used to be. The shelter isn’t quite so scary to him anymore, and he spends his time lounging comfortably in one of the communal rooms with several other cats to keep him company. When we walked into the room to visit him the other day, he was the first one to greet us, purring and rubbing against our legs to say hello. While he’s a relatively independent boy who doesn’t particularly like to be picked up, he’s still very sweet and enjoys being petted. Cody is about 9 years old now, and I’m sure he would love nothing more than to be back in a real home again. Please consider adopting this handsome boy!

Sampson

Handsome boy Sampson is just one of the many pets in shelters that are constantly overlooked because of their shy nature. He’s a timid guy, but oh-so-sweet when you get to know him! If only more visitors would take the time to meet him outside of his kennel, he probably would have found his forever home a long time ago. Sampson came to the BHS almost a year ago, in February, because he wasn’t getting along with the other pets in the house. According to his DNA test, he’s an American Bulldog crossed with – would you believe it? – Bull Terrier! Sampson is always such a gentleman when we take him out, walking nicely on a loose leash and taking treats gently. At about 3 years old, he’s at a perfect age where he’s not a hyperactive puppy anymore, but he’s still young and energetic enough to keep up with you on all your adventures for many years to come. If you’re looking for a friendly boy who will make a fantastic companion, please go visit him at the BHS. He’s been waiting so long to be part of a family again!

Enzo

If you walk into the Baltimore Humane Society to visit the adoptable kitties, this is what you’re likely to see when you turn the corner:

Enzo is always sitting at the front of his cage, hoping that someone will notice him. Always! At least it seems that way. I’m sure he takes a break for meals and cat naps… but it seems he’s figured out that in the shelter, catching someone’s eye and winning them over is priority #1. And so he sits and waits, looking as handsome as possible.

I first met Enzo back in 2007, after he had been abandoned at the BHS gate in a box with eight other cats. He was a cute little kitten at the time and was adopted pretty quickly, but then he was returned almost three years later when his owners moved away. After a couple more months he was adopted again, but he was brought back to the shelter in January 2011 because he and the other cats in the house weren’t getting along. So he’s been waiting at the shelter for almost an entire year now for a loving family to come along and take him home forever. He’s such a good-looking boy and so sweet, I don’t know why he keeps getting overlooked. I love his soulful eyes and cute little pink nose! Enzo is almost 5 years old now, and is neutered and housetrained. Do you have room in your home and your heart for this amazing boy? Please visit the BHS to meet him!

Shortcake

The first time I met Shortcake, I nicknamed her the Tazmanian Devil because, well, her whirlwind movements and the almost-indescribable noise she was making reminded me so much of the cartoon character. She was so thrilled to be zooming around outside, grabbing every stick she could find and shredding it to pieces with fierce enthusiasm… she just couldn’t contain her excitement and was loudly snorting/grunting/growling playfully the whole time. It was hilarious and I was laughing so hard I could barely hold the camera still. That was back in February 2011, and Shortcake is still at the Baltimore Humane Society waiting for someone to take her home. She still has an unnatural obsession with sticks (doesn’t matter what size, she can lift and carry surprisingly large tree limbs!) and is always happy to go hunting for them on her walks, but lately Shortcake has been getting more and more depressed in the kennel. It’s always heartbreaking to witness a pet slowly giving up hope in the shelter, especially one that is so spunky and full of life like this sweet girl is. Shortcake is about 2 1/2 years old, and just loves everyone she meets. Please share this post and help us find a good home for her in time for the holidays!
Also be sure to check out her video… she’s so stinkin’ cute!

Nixon

November is “Pitember” at the Baltimore Humane Society, and also Adopt a Senior Pet month! All month long, the adoption fee for pit bulls is 50% off, plus the adoption fees for the first three senior dogs adopted have been sponsored by a generous donor! Nixon fits into both of those categories… he’s an amazing pittie boy who is 8 years old. We first fell in love with Nixon when he arrived at the BHS a year ago, via the rescue group Baltimore Bully Crew. We were all thrilled to see him go home several months later, but sadly he was returned to the shelter in July. Despite being told that Nixon has food allergies, his previous adopter failed to keep him on his special diet, so his skin looked terrible when he returned! He must have been so uncomfortable. Thankfully, he’s now healthy again and his skin and coat look so much better.
Nixon is just one of the friendliest and sweetest boys you’ll ever meet, and he loves to play. I didn’t have any treats to give him because of his dietary restrictions, but it didn’t matter… he was totally obsessed with the squeaker I had! He just had a blast chasing us around the play yard and trying to figure out how to get that squeaky from us. Nixon is such a fun dog, you just have to visit him and see for yourself. Oh, and his birthday is coming up tomorrow! What better gift could a dog get than a forever home??

Peaches

It’s been far too long since I featured a bunny on the blog!  So today, I’d like to introduce you to Peaches.  Anyone remember that news story earlier this year about the hoarding case in Howard County?  Peaches was one of those 78 rabbits seized from the home.  The owners had started out with just two, a male and a female… and in just two years they had 78.  Two words, folks:  Spay and Neuter!!!

As you can probably imagine, poor Peaches is not very well socialized.  Growing up in an environment like that, she must have had very little contact with people… and as a result, she’s now having a tough time finding her forever home.  She can be a bit grumpy at times and probably shouldn’t go home with small children who will constantly want to hug and squeeze her, but she does like to be petted.  She gets attention and socialization from the BHS staff and volunteers and has made some improvement, so imagine how well she would do in a home where she’s the only bunny and can be the center of attention!  Peaches is almost 2 years old, and is spayed and ready to go home.  Please go visit her at the BHS!

Fundraising calendar to benefit BHS

Earlier this year, I had an idea… how great would it be to photograph some of the shelter pets again, after they’ve begun their new life with a family?  I decided that if I could get enough participants, it might make a great fundraising calendar for the shelter.  So I put out a model call for BHS alumni, and got an overwhelming response!  It took months to complete the entire project, but I’m happy to say that the 2012 “Happy Tails” BHS alumni calendar is now available!  It includes the photos and stories of 13 pets who were once residents of the BHS, but have since been adopted and are now in loving homes. 

I had so much fun shooting this calendar.  It was so amazing to be able to visit all of the dogs and cats again and meet their wonderful new families.  Many of the pets have new names, but I still remembered all of their sweet faces.  Every single one of them was happy, healthy, and loving their new life.  The uncertainty that I had once seen behind their eyes had vanished without a trace.  It was actually a great reminder to me… THIS is why I volunteer.  I don’t often get to see the happy endings in person, but I know they’re there.  I’d like to send out a huge thank you to all of the adopters for allowing me to come into your homes and photograph your fur babies again.  I couldn’t have done this project without you!

To order a calendar, please send a check made out to the Baltimore Humane Society to 1601 Nicodemus Rd, Reisterstown MD 21136.  Calendars are $15 plus $2 shipping each.  You can also order by phone by calling Alison at 410-833-8848 ext. 212.  Or if you visit the shelter, you can pick one up in person at either the Windswept administration building or the Adoption Center!  100% of the proceeds will go to the BHS to benefit those pets that are still waiting for their happy endings.

Ozzie

Ozzie is a 2 year old Lab/Pit Bull mix who is looking for a foster home… or better yet, a forever home! Ozzie is currently at the BHS, but he really needs to get out of the shelter, so Jasmine’s House rescue is pulling him as soon as a foster home can be found. He has so much pent-up energy from being in a kennel all day, and would really benefit from a stable home environment where he can have space to run, play, and just be a dog. A little bit about his background: he was originally transferred to the BHS in Feb. 2010 when he ran out of time at BARCS. He was then adopted, but his owners returned him about a year later because they didn’t really know how to train him. Ozzie would do well with someone who has some dog experience… he’s a very good boy, really friendly and sweet, but nobody ever taught him any manners when he was a puppy. All he needs is someone who can give him an outlet for all that energy, teach him the basics of being a polite dog, and just have a little patience with him. Ozzie loves to play and absolutely adores his squeaky toys! He’s also good with other dogs and would probably enjoy having a playmate. Do you know anyone who could take Ozzie in? Please share this post and help us find a foster for him!  (UPDATE:  Ozzie has now found a wonderful foster home!  You can keep up with him on his very own blog here:  www.waitingbetweentrains.wordpress.com)  UPDATE: Ozzie has been adopted! 

Narnia

Petfinder.com has designated the week of Sept. 17-25 as “Adopt a Less-Adoptable Pet Week”. The definition of a “less adoptable” pet is pretty broad. Normally I might feature a black cat or dog, maybe a senior pet, or even a pit bull… any pet that constantly gets overlooked in the shelter simply because they’re not as appealing to potential adopters as other pets might be. However, this year I didn’t have to think too hard about who to feature for this particular blog entry… Narnia clearly has the odds stacked against him when it comes to finding his forever home. In addition to being a little older than many of the cats at the shelter (about 5-6 years old), Narnia also has ear problems, a heart problem, and renal failure. Sadly, he’s one of the least adoptable pets at the BHS right now. He still deserves a loving home just as much as the others, though!

Despite his shriveled little ears and somewhat raggedy-looking coat, I think Narnia is pretty handsome. Most importantly, though, he’s really friendly and sweet! Underneath all that fur, there’s a very affectionate kitty who just wants to be loved. He really enjoyed being petted and gave me lots of kisses in between shots. He’s got such a great personality, and it’s a shame that many people won’t take the time to notice that. Most will pass him by because his ears look funny or because they don’t want a cat that requires medication. Please consider this lovable boy if you’re looking for a cat. He really deserves to live the rest of his life in a happy home rather than a cage!  (UPDATE: Narnia has been adopted!)

Lilly

Meet Lilly, a beautiful shepherd/lab/pit bull mix with tons of energy!  She was brought to the BHS in March, and I’m surprised no one has snatched her up yet.  She’s such a fun dog!  We took her out for some updated photos last weekend, and after getting a few shots on the leash (which she posed very nicely for, I might add), we let her loose in the play yard.  This girl can fly… runaway tennis balls don’t stand a chance!  I suppose she can also fly in another sense too, as she is a master fence-jumper.  A home with a tall fence and plenty of space to run and play would be great for her!  Her ideal home would also be one without other dogs or cats, and preferably one with older kids just because of her large size and high energy.  Lilly is an incredibly friendly girl who loves to have visitors, so please head on down to the BHS to meet her!  (UPDATE: Lilly has been adopted!)