A long history, a vision for the future

CHARM Rescue—short for Chesapeake Animal Rescue Mission—has deep roots in Maryland’s animal welfare community. Originally founded in 1944 as the Animal Welfare Society of Howard County (AWSHC), the organization spent decades serving as a lifeline for abandoned and at-risk pets. Thanks to the dedication of founder Marie Werking and her generous land trust, AWSHC became a cornerstone of animal rescue in Howard County, officially securing nonprofit status in 1951.

However, between 2018 and 2019, AWSHC experienced serious internal failures. Financial misconduct and animal cruelty under the previous leadership resulted in the organization's closure by Howard County Animal Control. These events shook public trust and prompted a full organizational overhaul.

In 2020, a completely new, unaffiliated Board of Directors took over, determined to rebuild with integrity and transparency. Since then, we have:

• Regained legal status to fundraise and operate in Maryland
   
• Begun renovations of our neglected facility to support modern rescue work
   
• Launched new community programs and partnerships
   
• Filed and received approval for a new public identity: CHARM Rescue, registered in 2025
   

• A volunteer-led animal rescue in Maryland focused on saving pets from euthanasia
   
• A growing resource for the community, aiming to provide low-cost spay/neuter and vaccine services
   
• A provider of compassionate pet adoption services across the Chesapeake region
   
• An advocate for the human-animal bond, working to implement programs like a Safe Haven Foster Program to help survivors of domestic violence keep their pets safe
   

We’re currently transforming our property into a modern spay/neuter clinic and rescue shelter, designed to offer affordable care, safe housing, and life-saving transport coordination for animals at risk—locally and from overburdened high-kill shelters across the region.

At CHARM Rescue, we are committed to rewriting the story. With a focus on rescue, rehabilitation, community outreach, and veterinary access, we’re building a better future for animals in need—and for the families who love them.