For Immediate Release

Rockville, Maryland - The Montgomery County Humane Society will replace its private animal rescue facility on Stonestreet Avenue in Rockville with an expanded foster program it has dubbed its "Rescue Without Walls." In the new arrangement, more homeless animals will be housed in private foster homes while they await permanent adoptions instead of in the kennels.

MCHS, which also manages the Montgomery County Animal Shelter through a contract with Montgomery County, aims to rescue at least as many animals through the expanded foster program as it has done through its private rescue facility, and the animals there now will transition into foster or permanent homes from their kennel environment.

Currently, approximately 30 animals are housed at the private rescue on Stonestreet Avenue in Rockville. After they are placed, the rescue will close, a move that will help offset a decline in revenue from donations. For information on becoming a foster home, see http://mchumane.org/fosterprogram.shtml or call 240.793.4201. Details of the private rescue's adoption process are at http://www.mchumane.org/rescueadoptionprocessandfees.shtml.

"Our staff has been working hard to reduce costs and make other changes to help more animals," said Cris Bombaugh, MCHS president and CEO. "It saddens us not to be able to continue operating the rescue building, but we're optimistic about the impact of the Rescue Without Walls. We're also doing everything we can to help the employees at the rescue during the transition."

MCHS recently overhauled its foster program to provide routine medical and veterinary care at a lower cost, which enables it to provide greater support to individuals who foster animals.

"The revamped program is already showing great promise," said Bombaugh. "Foster homes have embraced the changes and are taking in more animals. This will enable MCHS to conserve resources, but most importantly, more animals will benefit from home-like environments until they are adopted."

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About the Montgomery County Humane Society:

The Montgomery County Humane Society is a nonprofit animal welfare organization that has provided animal sheltering services for Montgomery County since 1958. MCHS receives funds to operate the Montgomery County Animal Shelter under a grant from the Montgomery County Government and from private donations. As the only full-service animal shelter in the county, MCHS is open for emergencies daily around the clock. MCHS handled more than 9,200 animals in 2008, and, as an open admission shelter, never turns an animal away. For details about programs and services and how to adopt an animal into your family, please visit www.mchumane.org.