Greenbelt Animal Shelter Carries Out a 'No Kill' Mission

The r is a "no kill" organization.

Celia Craze, director of planning and community development for Greenbelt, said that part of the shelter's success in "no kill" is because of community support.

The animal shelter has a fund, completely created by community donations, which is used to pay for extra medical expenses that the shelter would not normally provide, Craze explained.

is just one example of the shelter's dedication to save an animal's life. It was Craze who found Scarlett mangled in the street after a car accident. She had multiple abrasions, a head injury and an infected hock breaking through the skin that eventually required her leg to be amputated.

Many public shelters would have euthanized her, but the Greenbelt Animal Shelter and Greenbelt veterinarian Dr. Laura Kressler saved her life. Greenbelter Sarah O'Brien renamed Scarlett as Rosie, for Rosie the Riveter.

O'Brien showed her appreciation for the shelter by performing at a fundraiser playing the Native American flute to patrons in the on Dec. 13.

A pitbull named Big Daddy was on hand to enjoy the concert. Animal Control Officer Lauren Derise told those gathered at the fundraiser that when the shelter first encountered him, he had a large tumor on his side. Although the shelter paid to have it removed, it spread—he had lymphoma.

After that discovery, the animal shelter decided not to adopt him out, but to keep him for the rest of his life, Derise shared.

"Big Daddy has all our hearts right now," Kim DeAngelis, manager of the animal shelter, said.

From his participation in the Labor Day Festival and his local appearances with his shelter friends to dressing as The Hulk at the Greenbelt costume contest and parade—Big Daddy is becoming the shelter's mascot.

Craze credits Greenbelters for saving these animals, saying if the shelter didn't have their financial support, it would not be able to be a second-chance shelter for animals with medical conditions requiring extra treatment.

But, the Greenbelt Animal Shelter could still use more help and is accepting year-end donations.

DeAngels shared that interested parties can mail checks to the Department of Planning and Community Development at 15 Crescent Road, Suite 200, Greenbelt, MD 20770 or donors can drop by the animal shelter. She asked that donors write their checks out to the City of Greenbelt and specify in the memo section of the check: animal shelter.