It has been all hands on deck for the Carroll County Humane Society since a fire earlier this month in Taneytown displaced 58 animals and two people.
No deaths or injuries to humans were reported as a result of the fire, Maryland State Fire Marshal spokesperson Oliver Alkire said, but the animals inside the home have needed some extra care.
Humane Society Executive Director Karen Baker said 32 dogs, five cats, six chickens, six parakeets, four chinchillas, two hedgehogs, one rabbit, one rat and one mouse were moved to the animal shelter following the fire.
Immediately after the fire, four dogs were transported to Airpark Animal Hospital in Westminster, where they received critical treatment for smoke inhalation, said hospital administrator Carl Smith, of Sykesville.
As of Thursday, Baker said the chickens, hedgehogs and chinchillas have been adopted, and nearly all of the larger animals have been placed in foster care. Six dogs among the most shy remain at the shelter. Baker said those dogs require a foster home that can provide extra care and that has a fenced-in backyard.
“[All of the animals] “They are slowly becoming available for adoption or they’re out in foster care,” Baker said. “Eleven dogs and cats are spayed or neutered and medically cleared by a veterinarian, then they will be made available for adoption.”
Any animal exposed to smoke inhalation was placed with a foster with veterinary experience.
“Fortunately, we have some excellent fosters that can handle those situations,” Baker said, adding that all of the dogs have been brought up to date on vaccines.
“These dogs were in really bad shape,” Smith said. “They were caked in all the things you’d expect in a hoarder home, so the humane society has done a phenomenal job of cleaning these dogs up and making their lives much more livable.”
On Sunday, 24 dogs are scheduled to be neutered or spayed at Airpark Animal Hospital. Baker said it is important that the procedure occurs as soon as possible.
“It eliminates any potential health issues that we could deal with due to the dog not being spayed or neutered, but also behavioral issues,” Baker said. “And we won’t have to worry about breeding, or them being out in foster care while they’re still able to breed. So, it’s a very big help overall.”
Although Airpark Animal Hospital is helping by making time and space for the animals’ medical care, the humane society will pay for the surgeries. Baker said the goal is to raise $45,000 to cover the animals’ medical expenses, of which $30,000 has already been raised.
“We’re going to require a huge amount of money to be able to cover those costs,” Baker said, “and then the community has really stepped up.”
The fire, which is believed to be accidental, originated in the kitchen at about 9:11 am, April 16, and was under control in 30 minutes, Alkire said. The Taneytown Fire Department was assisted by other fire departments, and 30 firefighters were on the scene. The blaze is estimated to have caused $100,000 in property damage.
Alkire said hoarding conditions were present in the home and those conditions can feed a fire by providing more fuel materials and can hinder firefighters by creating a confusing or maze-like interior.
As experts in animal behavior, animal control officers took the lead in removing animals from the home after the fire was extinguished and all smoke was cleared, Baker said. Firefighters ensured the scene was safe. The Taneytown Police Department also assisted, carrying some animals from the home, as directed by animal control officers.
“This scenario ran extremely smoothly,” Baker said. “Our officers were superstars in there, they were heroes. They worked until they could make sure that house was clear and that every animal was removed from that house, despite the fire damage. Then, with our in-house team, the animal care staff, everyone pitched in.”
The Carroll County Humane Society’s animal shelter has 36 kennels, which are typically between 50% to 75% full at any given time. Baker said some of the dogs already at the shelter were immediately placed in foster care to accommodate the large intake. The dogs rescued from the fire were used to each other from living in the same home, so same-sex dogs could be kenneled together, Baker added.
The humane society last week put out a call for money and supplies to be donated. Baker said monetary donations are most meaningful to the organization, but puppy pads and baby wipes will be graciously accepted, as will gift cards to PetSmart, Petco, Walmart or Bowman’s.
Donations to the Humane Society of Carroll County can be made in person at 2517 Littlestown Pike, Westminster or online at https://hscarroll.org/donate/.
Anyone interested in fostering an animal may email [email protected]. Baker said additional foster homes are always needed, and society will likely need people to foster kittens in the coming months.
“We’re so grateful to everyone for reaching out and helping and caring about our staff as well as the animals,” Baker said, “because they’ve all been working very long hours to make sure that everyone has been cared for and can be placed safely into a foster home and, and especially our fosters for stepping up and opening their homes. “We always have foster opportunities here.”
