Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS) says families can rest assured that gifting a pet responsibly this holiday season is more than welcome, dispelling rumors about high return rates after the holidays.

BARCS Chief Philanthropy and Communications Officer Bailey Deacon says families know best when it comes to deciding whether or not to welcome a pet into their lives, and January is actually one of the shelter’s lowest intake months of the year.

“We take in 12,000 animals a year, so we do have a high volume at all times, but we've got 20 years of data that shows that there is no post-holiday spike, and that's why we, during the holidays, celebrate adoption,” Deacon said.

She says the shelter works hard to ensure it’s familiar with each of its pets’ demeanours and personalities so it can provide families with strong matches, helping to ensure the majority of pets are finding their forever home, no matter the season.

While some shelters close this time of year to prevent holiday adoptions, Deacon says they will be open Christmas Eve to encourage adopting pets as gifts.

“We choose to stay open adoptions, we call it, throughout the entire year, and we are excited to help people find those new family members around the holidays.”

Deacon says if you’re not in a position to adopt but want to help, volunteers and donations at pet shelters across the state are always welcome, especially during this busy season.