A 5-year-old Doberman/Mastiff mix at the Charles County Animal Care Center has staff feeling optimistic after she found what they’re calling a lucky sign: a four-leaf clover. Now they’re hoping it points the way to a rescue partner for her.
Cardi has been through a difficult past, according to the shelter, but staff say it hasn’t dampened her trust in people. She’s described as friendly and affectionate, knows sit, down, and paw, walks well on a leash, and loves playing fetch — though she isn’t always great about giving the ball back afterward.
What “Rescue Partner” Actually Means
Cardi’s listing falls under a specific shelter category: animals available only to approved rescue partner organizations, not directly to the general public. According to the shelter’s official adoption page, this designation exists alongside two other adoption tracks — standard public adoption, which carries a $200 fee for dogs and $85 for cats, and a “working cats” program that places cats for free in barns, warehouses, or other outbuildings for rodent control. Cardi doesn’t fall into either of those categories; her path forward depends specifically on an established rescue group agreeing to take her in.
Charles County Animal Care Center is the county’s official government-run shelter, operating as a division of the Charles County Department of Emergency Services. It houses the county’s stray, sick, injured, and unwanted domestic animals — a role the current Hughesville facility has served for more than 60 years, with a larger, roughly 22,000-square-foot replacement facility in development. The shelter also runs a live “Cat Cam” that lets the public view its cat room online, and it publishes annual intake and spay/neuter statistics for those interested in the bigger picture of animal welfare in the county.
How to Help
For residents interested in adopting a pet directly, the shelter’s adoption hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at 6707 Animal Shelter Road in Hughesville. Rescue organizations interested in partnering to help place animals like Cardi — or community members wanting to ask about fostering, volunteering, or supply donations — can reach the shelter directly at 301-932-1713 or animalshelter@charlescountymd.gov.
Even for those who can’t personally adopt or foster, sharing Cardi’s listing helps put her in front of rescue organizations who might be able to take her in — often the single most effective thing an individual can do for a rescue-only animal.
