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St. Mary's County shelter reports sharp rise in intakes, hires part-time veterinarian
Summary
Animal services reported a nearly 89% increase in intakes Sept. 1–Oct. 31, 2025, and improved live-release rates despite a panleukopenia outbreak that affected feral and working cats. The shelter also hired Dr. Sarah Mikeska as a part-time veterinarian to support care and spay-neuter capacity.
Holly Snipe, animal services division manager for St. Mary’s County, reported at the Nov. 5 Animal Control Advisory Board meeting that 698 animals entered the county shelter between Sept. 1 and Oct. 31, 2025 (702 if four wild animals are included). Of those, 228 were dogs, 407 were cats and 63 were small animals or livestock.
"For this time period, we had 698 animals enter our facility," Snipe said.
Snipe compared those totals to the same two-month span in 2024, when the shelter took in 370 animals. Owner surrenders rose from 110 in 2024 to 253 in 2025, a jump Snipe described as a major driver of the overall 88.65% increase in intakes.
Outcomes for the…
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