Where we've been,
where we're headed
ACSKC has served the homeless animals of Kent County, Maryland since 1962. We are an open admission shelter, meaning we take in every domesticated animal in need from our county. This includes cats and dogs, guinea pigs and pot-bellied pigs! We do not euthanized animals due to their breed, for space, or length of stay. Our mission is to care for all of our animals until they’re home.
Our Old Digs
1962-2022
ACSKC started as a simple building on a small plot four miles outside of Chestertown. Back then, our shelter was known as “The Humane Society for Kent County,” though we were not associated with the Humane Society of the United States. The original shelter was built in 1962, with an expansion added to the property in 1989.
Over the years, this small shelter served as a sanctuary for thousands of animals. As a result, we outgrew our foundation. The need for a better facility—one that put health, safety and enrichment at the forefront—was desperately needed.
Breaking New Ground
2021-2022
After five years of extensive planning and fundraising, we broke ground on five beautiful acres in September of 2021. Our new facility was constructed with more than just ample space in mind: it was outfitted with a medical suite—complete with surgical and isolation rooms—five play yards and two outdoor catios for enrichment, and a quarter-mile walking trail!
Construction was completed in December of 2022, and we rang in the New Year in our brand new shelter!
Here to Serve
Today, Tomorrow & Onward!
Since Move-In Day, we’ve been floored by the abundance of opportunities this new facility has offered to our animals and our community: We’ve experienced a 57% increase in adoptions, which means aiding overpopulated shelters with more rescue transports; our expanded Volunteer Program has allowed us extend our outreach throughout the county with more events; and our medical suite enables us to save even the most vulnerable of lives.
And that’s not all! In the coming seasons, we aim to expand our medical offerings to our community with low-cost services—a feat we could have only dreamed of while in our old shelter.
