Save Cats in Baltimore County - Four Month Quarantine Fosters Urgently Needed!

Baltimore County has very strict rules regarding bite wounds of unknown origin. Unfortunately, many unaltered tomcats in particular come through the county's Trap-Neuter-Return clinic with such wounds, which trigger a 120-day (approximately four month) quarantine requirement. If there is no approved person to quarantine the cat, the cat is required to be put to sleep.

The reasoning for this is, without knowing which animal caused the bite, there is a greater-than-zero chance of rabies being spread. However, in the vast majority of cases, such bite wounds are obtained through regular old cats fighting with each other. Within the 120 day quarantine period, the cat is monitored for signs of rabies. When the period is up, he can go home.

Needs Must Cats is in search of volunteers to take on the task of holding onto these cats, who will vary between friendly and feral but should be presumed to be feral, separately from other animals in their homes for the 120 day quarantine period. You will need to be responsive to and receive visits from the Animal Control Rabies Officer during this period.

Any cats or dogs in your home will need to be fully up-to-date on vaccines and you will need to present proof to animal control in order to be approved for quarantine. You may quarantine one or more cats depending on your space availability, but the cats will need to be housed separately. These cats, largely being feral, should not want much from you except food, water, and to scoop litter.

If you can help, we can help you. We'll get you large dog crates, donated food and litter and other basic supplies, and help get the cat set up for the quarantine period. When the 120 days are over and the cat is officially released from quarantine, we will retrieve the cat and bring him or her back to his original colony.

If you can help this DIRECT life-saving process for cats in Baltimore County, please submit your availability right away and we will get you in touch with the appropriate person at animal control to be approved, and let you know when there's a need.