BARCS Franky Fund
Our Emergency Fund for Animals With Extraordinary Medical Needs
About This Fund:
Named after Franky, a homeless puppy who came to BARCS and became the first recipient of care through this fund, the BARCS Franky Fund is a restricted fund that helps pay for BARCS to send shelter animals to partnering veterinary hospitals, where they receive discounted lifesaving medical care when their needs go above the capacity of our in-house veterinary program.
How It Works:
When a homeless animal is surrendered or brought to BARCS and becomes part of our shelter's care, our veterinary team evaluates its medical needs and determines the best course of treatment. Most animals receive all of the care they need in our in-house veterinary hospital. Others require advanced diagnostics, care from a specialist and sometimes the volume of emergency cases that come in at once goes above the capacity of our in-house veterinary program.
In those cases, BARCS sends the animal to one of our trusted partnering veterinary hospitals, where they provide discounted care for our shelter animals. The Franky Fund helps cover the cost of those lifesaving medical bills. Because of donors like you, BARCS can say "yes" when an animal needs urgent treatment beyond our own shelter walls. Below are stories of recent shelter animals whose lives depended on the Franky Fund.
*The number of animals helped at our partnering veterinary hospitals through BARCS’ Franky Fund varies each year based on the medical needs of individual animals that come into our shelter and BARCS’ capacity and resources in-house. If donations exceed the annual need specific to the Franky Fund, remaining funds will be used to provide lifesaving in-house veterinary care through our Medical Care Fund.
Some of Our Many Cases:
Cellie
Baltimore City Animal Control received a call about a dog thrown away in a silver trash can. The dog was severely matted, unable to move, and in excruciating pain. Officers brought her back to BARCS to be seen immediately by our shelter veterinary team. We named her Celadon, Cellie for short.
Strawberry Milkshake
Baltimore City Animal Control officers had responded to a call about an abandoned cat. It was reported that citizens witnessed Strawberry Milkshake, as we named him, being repeatedly slammed against a dumpster. X-rays showed that he sustained a fracture so severe that his bone shattered; he also had a fracture in his right hip joint.
Carin
BARCS came into the care of a tiny puppy we named Carin. Carin was very clearly sick; her condition was rapidly deteriorating. Unfortunately, Carin tested positive for parvovirus, a deadly illness that affects unvaccinated puppies and dogs.
Mylo
Poor Mylo came to BARCS due to no fault of his own with an injured tail. He had stopped eating, could not walk well, and wasn't using his litter box properly. Upon his intake evaluation, our veterinary team found his tail was painful to touch, and he was given pain medication to manage his discomfort.
Hazel & Cabbage
During a busy week, BARCS had come into the care of two separate, but very sick, puppies: three-month-old Hazel and two-month-old Cabbage. Both puppies tested positive for parvovirus, a deadly illness that affects unvaccinated puppies and dogs. The symptoms are painful, and if left untreated, parvo is fatal.
Clover
At first, 10-month-old Clover seemed like a healthy puppy. But, once she was placed in a loving foster home, her foster family noticed that she leaked urine after she laid down for sleep or play. Our skilled and caring veterinary team has tried a little bit of everything to help Clover, including medication, but it was clear something more was going on in her body.
Kiwi
Baltimore City Animal Control officers responded to a call about a young lost dog who was very weak and had difficulty standing. Witnesses at the scene stated that the dog had been outside all night, tied to a fire escape.
Midas
A Baltimore resident brought a dog to BARCS. The dog, who we named Midas, could not stand or move without help. He was also extremely emaciated—so much so that he has muscle loss on top of his head, along his spine and over his shoulders and hips. That much muscle loss indicates that he’s been without food and water for a very long time.
Baby D
Baltimore City Animal Control officers had responded to a call from Baltimore Police during the execution of a search and seizure warrant. In the home, they found two-month-old puppy Baby D. Officers were informed that Baby D had been attacked by another dog in the house two days before
Seattle
Baltimore City Animal Control received a call about a young puppy that was found lost and injured. Seattle, as we named her, was unable to walk or move around. She was hunched over, frozen with pain. Due to the severity of her condition, officers rushed her to a partner Franky Fund clinic for emergency care.