
Celebrating 75 Years
With a soft spot for all creatures and deeply concerned about the number of homeless animals in Harford County, Elsa Horne Voss, pictured at her home in Monkton, enlisted the help of several friends and purchased a 20-acre farm in Fallston. On February 5, 1946, the Humane Society of Harford County became the official home for the County’s homeless animals. Voss employed many residents of Harford County to work at the shelter and served as its president until 1979. In 1959 she was presented with the Humanitarian of the Year award from the Humane Society of the United States.
Seven and a half decades later, the organization is a fixture in Harford County and has grown to be an award-winning, progressive adoption and community resource center.
Join us as we begin a year-long celebration of our 75th anniversary!
Let’s PAW-ty!
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$75 For 75In tribute to Elsa Voss’s compassion and trailblazing determination, please consider making a one-time or monthly $75 gift to provide a bright future for homeless and neglected animals in Harford County. Celebrate knowing your gift will help to sustain the shelter, helping to unite pets and people for another 75 years! |
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Download 75 Ways You Can Help AnimalsWe hope you’ll celebrate with us and feel inspired to adopt a few of these ideas! If you do, be sure to tag us on social media and use the hashtag #hshc75. |
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Read the Press ReleaseThe Humane Society of Harford County (HSHC) announced today the year-long celebration of its 75th anniversary. Officially launched at its present location in a modified farmhouse on Connolly Road in Fallston on February 5, 1946… |
Schedule of Events
Monthly Lunch & Learns

HSHC will be celebrating its birthday all year with virtual programming, including one-hour Lunch & Learns on the last Wednesday of each month at noon. Topics are many, but will include:
- Deep dives into HSHC’s history, including interviews with people who worked and volunteered at HSHC in its early days
- Species-specific animal behavior, enrichment, and caretaking
- Pet health and safety
- Animal welfare laws, legislation, and advocacy
- Ways that anyone can help shelter pets, community pets, and animals all over the world
HSHC will also be launching a revamped Humane Education program for grades K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12, which can be delivered in person or virtually. Programming will be tailored for each grade bracket and will include topics ranging from dog bite prevention, to discussions about animal abuse, to advocating for animals within local government.
Quarterly Lecture Series
HSHC will offer quarterly educational lectures beginning in March. Topics will include:
- Compassion Fatigue & Resilience
- Programs to Keep Pets Out of Shelters
- The story of Elsa Horne Voss, HSHC’s founder, and the Voss family history, presented in partnership with the Harford County Historical Society
- Animal Welfare Legislation & Laws
Sign up for Notifications
Click here to stay informed on everything happening as well as be notified of future programming. And follow HSHC on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.
Proclamations
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