Help AWS

***FRIENDS OF AWS***

As some of you may know, in May 2019, the Animal Welfare Society of Howard County (AWS), a nonprofit founded in 1941, was raided and 165 animals were removed from the property due to the prior director's mismanagement of the shelter. The animals were taken to Animal Control in Howard County which is a kill shelter and because some of the animals were so poorly cared for by the former AWS, the animals had to be euthanized. In July, the police arrested the prior directors and they are currently facing 50 counts each of animal abuse and cruelty. Baltimore Sun Article on the Arrest 

Upon hearing this news, a small group of dedicated volunteers wrested legal control of AWS from the prior Board of Directors, elected new officers, and voted out the
prior Director who is [rightfully] accused of mistreating and neglecting animals and
mismanaging the shelter. The new board of directors is trying to re-open the shelter. Unfortunately the prior director, even though he and his wife face animal abuse            charges, are claiming that they are the true "owners" of the shelter and not giving up
the shelter without a fight. They stated that they want to sell the land even though      the land belongs to the nonprofit and not themselves.

As a result, the new board is suing the prior director to gain access to the shelter and all its assets in order to reinitiate helping animals. Once the prior directors learned of the lawsuit, they cleaned out the only bank account that we knew of that belonged to AWS. AWS now has no money to either pay for the necessary lawsuit or to re-open      the shelter. Currently we have three law firms- Amos and Muffoletto, Mulinazzi Law Office, and Abramson and Rand- dedicating their time on this case on a very reduced basis to help AWS but there are legal fees and deposition fees that still need to be covered.

We are  animal lovers, and are dedicated to helping re-open AWS as a place that will
love and care for animals with a focus on matching those animals with loving forever homes to bring joy to the animals and people of Howard County.  An attorney in Howard County, is the new president of the AWS Board which is now comprised of trustworthy and dedicated people. The board can't effectively put up a fight against the prior directors to re-open the shelter without financial resources so we've started a Friends of AWS Group to fundraise. Our goal is to get enough donations to pay for the litigation that is unfortunately necessary to gain control of AWS. Any money not used for litigation fees will be used to reopen the shelter. 

Once the shelter is totally in the control and governance of the new board, they will   update via FB and other social media because they want to be as transparent as possible in this process of re-opening the shelter. The people (and animals) of Howard County deserve that.

All donations are not tax-deductible and will  be refunded if not used in the manner 
prescribed above. 

Please consider donating and THANK YOU!

- Friends of AWS