Blog - Page 9 of 12 - Show Your Soft Side

Neither Trophies Nor Trinkets

The world has condemned the recent killing of a lion named Cecil that lived in Hwange National Park in Zimbabwe and American dentist and trophy hunter Walter Palmer faces extradition charges for illegal poaching. The Wildlife Conservation Research Unit …

Wiggly Butts Came Out In Force

Last month, the third annual Pawject Runway took Baltimore by storm. Thirty two and a half (which includes Torrey Smith’s son, TJ) Softies, walked the runway with homeless animals from BARCS netting over $125,000 for the shelter. The night was filled w …

Fighting the Good Fight

It is the ultimate goal of the Show Your Soft Side campaign to stop animal cruelty before it starts. It is an ambitious goal born of outrage. Outrage that human beings could soak a dog in accelerant and set her on fire. That dog was named Phoenix, and …

Living What They Preach

“Only a punk would hurt a cat or dog,” is not the only message SYSS so adamantly spreads. “Adopt, don’t shop,” is another that has a special place in the hearts of each member of the team. Approximately 7.6 million cats and dogs enter animal shelters e …

How I Was Shanghaied By SYSS

It must’ve been fate. I can’t think of any other reasonable explanation for how I crossed paths with SYSS. It started at a crowded Starbucks, crammed next to Caroline and Sande on three barstools. If you ask them, I was shanghaied onto the team. If yo …

When Animal Planet Comes To Town

Anytime I see a text from Torrey or Chanel Smith, I know it’s going to be good. It could be a video of TJ with his pibble sister, Mama, or a photo of a young Soft Side fan whose battle with cancer included a special invite to a Ravens practice. As pred …

Soft Side Goes Hollywood

The word came via a text from Rebecca Corry – “Kaley Cuoco wants to be a Softie.” Shut up. THE Kaley Cucoco? As in America’s sweetheart, star of The Big Bang Theory, recently inducted into Hollywood’s Walk of Fame and high profile “mom” to three resc …

The Case Baltimore City Didn’t Want You To Know About

Today, former Baltimore City Police Officer Alec Eugene Taylor was sentenced to one year in jail for the choking and beating death of Rocko, his girlfriend’s 7-month old Jack Russell puppy in Montgomery County, Maryland. As many already know, Taylor re …

Three Letters Almost Did Him In

It was only our second time volunteering at the secret kitty sanctuary when we were cautioned that there was a feral kitty tucked away in the back room. After having recently trapped and transported a feral to the vet only to see it fly around the exam …

Nobody’s Laughing Now

April Doherty doesn’t have an off switch. As a personal trainer, she will kick your ass in the gym. As a paralegal in the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office Felony Review Unit and Animal Abuse Unit, she will kick your ass via the legal system. …