The Humane Society of Baltimore County, now known as the Baltimore Humane Society (BHS), was founded in 1927 by a pioneering and compassionate socialite named Elsie Seeger Barton (1886-1983).

In 1902, at age 16, Miss Seeger was stricken with rheumatic fever and was confined to her bed. During that time, her constant companions were the family’s beloved pets. While bedridden, Ms. Seeger resolved to devote her life to the care and humane treatment of companion and service animals. Upon her recovery, she established a refuge for abused and homeless animals on her family’s estate, known as “Thistle Top” on Milford Road in Pikesville, MD, overlooking Gwynn’s Falls Dam. She married Bolling Walker Barton, Jr., President of Barton, Duet & Koch Paper Company in 1908. In 1936, a new 23-acre compound was opened on Park Heights Avenue near Old Court Road.

In the 1950s, construction of the Baltimore Beltway was imminent, and its intended path ran straight through Mrs. Barton's facility. Knowing she would not prevail in a fight to retain her land, she began purchasing the 400 acres of rolling hillsides, farmland, and woods in Reisterstown that comprise our current home. Mrs. Barton moved some 800 graves from the cemetery on Park Heights Avenue to the new location and built another state-of-the-art shelter. In 1957 the new facility opened, operating on 22 acres of the property, with the remaining acreage (the entire property is 365 acres) designated as a wildlife sanctuary.

Today, BHS continues the legacy of Mrs. Barton by caring for thousands of wonderful animals every year. We continue to operate a low-cost, subsidized Spay, Neuter & Vaccine Clinic, which assists in helping to control the epidemic of pet overpopulation and serve low-income pet owners with quality pet care and vaccinations. In addition, our Baltimore Humane Society Memorial Park, on the grounds of BHS, provides a final resting place for many beloved pets and offers burial, funeral, and cremation services, free pet bereavement services and special memorial events. Three hundred and forty three acres of our land still serves as a protected wildlife sanctuary, alive with deer, fox, several species of birds, and numerous other types of local wildlife.

Baltimore Humane Society

From the First Hello to the Last Goodbye

Holiday Hope: Baltimore Humane Society's Campaign for Homeless Pets

Photos With Santa!

The Crate Escape: A Giving Tuesday Fundraiser in Support of the Baltimore Humane Society