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DENTON — Despite taking over in March of 2025, the new-ish Executive Director of the Caroline County Humane Society, Stephanie Flower, was finally able to be formally introduced to the County Commissioners at their February 3 meeting. She shared her background, her experiences so far with the Caroline County Humane Society, and her plans for the future of the shelter. Kendall Teague, Business Development Manager for the county and member of the Humane Society’s Board of Directors, introduced Flower, saying, “Since Stephanie has been there, [the shelter] is more welcoming and accessible to the public and more connected to our Caroline community.”
Flower said she has worked with animals in various capacities her entire life, starting with being a zoo keeper. She has now worked in sheltering for 15 years, including a stint in a New York City facility.
Having been in the position for almost a year, Flower emphasized her goal to make the Humane Society a “community resource center” rather than a last resort for residents in crisis to surrender their animals. She spoke to the Commission about her work in expanding the Pet Pantry, which is a free food bank specifically for pet food and supplies. Under Flower’s leadership, the Pet Pantry now has extended hours and increased allotments of resources. Additionally, Flower reported that cat intakes are trending down from previous years, most likely due to the implementation of the shelter’s trap-neuter-release program. And for the first time, the live release rate – the percentage of animals who get to leave the shelter – is over 90%.
But Flower explained that even with all of this good news, supporting Caroline’s pet owners with the increasing financial burden of food, vet care, and other pet needs is still a challenge. “I think in terms of what is important, beyond the numbers for people that understand them and are excited about them, is what we're doing for the community programs that we have. It's really important to me,” she said, “we want to be there not just when things have gone wrong for them and they need a place to bring an animal that they can no longer keep. We really want to function more as a community resource center.”
The Pet Pantry and the Humane Society’s low-cost spay and neuter program are a start to putting this philosophy into action. Flower also mentioned that come budget time, she plans to ask for a $150,000 line item from the county for a mobile vet clinic to offer spay/neuter procedures and vaccinations for Caroline’s furry friends. While the Commissioners were curious and sympathetic about the costliness of veterinary services, they did not confirm if the budget would allow them to fulfill such an ask. “I appreciate what you do,” said Commissioner Frank Bartz, “I enjoy your passion.”
