The Lucky Ones
Low Cost Spay/Neuter Clinic ~ Cat & Dog Adoption

About The Lucky Ones

In August 1992, a Candlelight Vigil was held at the Southern Maryland Tri-County Animal Shelter (TCAS), Hughesville Maryland, as a memorial to the thousands of pets killed there annually because of overpopulation. One outcome of the vigil was the opening of The Lucky Ones in 1993, as a low-cost spay/neuter clinic for all pet owners in Southern Maryland, and to rescue adoptable cats and dogs from TCAS, spay/neuter and vaccinate them, and place them for adoption. Our rescue program has expanded from 58 cats and dogs in 1993 to 1,137 cats and 152 dogs in 2003. Over 10 years, Lucky Ones has spayed/neutered almost 30,000 owned pets, and also rescued, spayed/neutered and placed for adoption over 13,400 cats and 1,800 dogs.

Lucky Ones operates a licensed veterinary clinic, which is used solely for the low-cost spay/neuter and animal rescue operations. We do not provide any other veterinary services to the public. From its founding until the end of 2002, the clinic was housed in a donated trailer located on land provided free behind the Charlotte Hall farmers market, in St. Mary's County. In January 2003, we purchased an 1,800 sq.ft. facility in Charlotte Hall, right on the St.Mary's/Charles County border, just 2 miles from TCAS.

Rescued dogs are offered at Saturday adoption fairs at various Petsmart stores.

Please note that, due to our limited capacity and the large number of animals in need of rescue from the shelter, Lucky Ones cannot take in cats or dogs from any other source besides TCAS. If you need to find a home for a pet or for strays, click here, and if you need help with feral (wild) cats, click here.

Lucky Ones has received numerous grants and awards, including the PetsMart Charities Award for Excellence in Animal Welfare, the Bernice Barbour Animal Welfare Grant, and the William Snyder Foundation for Animals Grant.

Lucky Ones is a not-for-profit, Maryland 501-C-3 corporation.