BYO pet, or come looking for a new best friend. Or just celebrate animals in general. Or just enjoy the music or the dancing demonstrations. Or just come for the yard sale.

There are a lot of reasons to come to BARCStoberfest, according to Teri Cerny, a volunteer at the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS), located in South Baltimore. The annual festival, scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 21 (rain date on Sunday, Oct. 22) from 11 a.m. – 6 p.m. in Patterson Park near the Pulaski Monument, will be the shelter’s second annual festival of all things pet-related.

“We'll have adoptable animals that people can meet,” said Cerny. We'll have a children's area with pumpkin painting, face painting, a moon bounce, live music, a ballroom dance demonstration, the police will be doing a K-9 demonstration with their dogs, we have a silent auction – that was just hugely popular last year.”

The event gives all the appearance of being a regular street fair, rather than a pet rescue event. But make no mistake, said Cerny, it's still all about the animals.

“We're going to offer microchipping of pets, we have about 15 different rescue groups coming, and we'll have some pet contests – of course the costume contests because we're so close to Halloween.”

There will also be a yard sale to benefit BARCS. Those interested in ridding themselves of excess materials – books, furniture, pet supplies, clothing, etc. – can bring donations to be added to the yard sale area at BARCStoberfest. BARCS volunteers will conduct the sale, and all money goes toward BARCS.

In addition, BARCS will have a special receptable for donations of pet-related items like blankets and towels, toys and treats, which can be used for the animals it takes in. (A full list of items needed by the shelter can be found at the website of www.baltimoreanimalshelter.org or can be obtained by calling 410-396-4688.

Those who want to donate items directly to the shelter can bring them by the facility at 301 Stockholm Street, between 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. all week long.

The shelter, which used to be an all-city-run organization, reorganized within the last few years, and now exists as a non-profit animal facility. In addition to being eligible for funding through the city, it is also able to accept donations of money and materials from those who are interested. BARCStoberfest, which debuted last year, was one of several efforts to raise awareness of the facility.

And it's working, said Cerny.

“Oh, absolutely. We have made a conscious effort since we became a non-profit. Two years ago, I think nobody thought about us. They thought about other groups, but not us.”

Because other animal welfare organizations, such as the Maryland SPCA and the Baltimore County Humane Society, have name recognition, and are aligned with national parent groups, smaller independent shelters are often afterthoughts for people who make monetary or material donations.

BARCS volunteers have fought that problem by holding regular "meet and greets" with adoptable animals, by using donated newspaper space to advertise available pets, and in general by getting their name out in the public eye. (Most recently, BARCS brought eligible puppies to the debut of the American Visionary Art Museum's Home and Beast, where the happy canines frolicked about and enjoyed the attention of visitors before being blessed by a local priest in honor of the feast day of St. Francis, the patron saint of animals).

As a result, said Cerny, visibility of the shelter has increased. The growth of BARCStoberfest over last year's event is proof. Last year’s event had an attendance of over 1,000, and BARCS volunteers are hoping for more this year.

Within the shelter itself, improvements have occurred. From 2004 to 2006, animal adoptions increased from a total of 90 to 943. The number of animal rescues has increased from about 100 in July 2005 to between 300 and 400 per month. The shelter's euthanasia rate has dropped 28 per cent in one year as well.

“Here at BARCS, we enjoy providing an important service to city animals and to city families,” said Jennifer Mead, the shelter's executive director.

The weekend event, which debuted last year, has expanded as well. It will include two live bands, Can't Hang and The Big Red Ts, and will have raffles.

Admission to the event is free, but there is a $3 per child charge for the children's area, which pays for amenities like pumpkins, paints and the moon bounce.

The group is interested in recruiting "day of" volunteers who are willing to work at the event itself, including acting as stage crew, working at the silent auction, overseeing the yard sale and staffing the welcome area. Anyone interested can call BARCS staffer Jane Kelly at 410-396-4688 or jane.kelly@baltimorecity.gov.

Information on all events at BARCStoberfest is available by calling 410-396-4688 or by going to www.baltimoreanimalshelter.org/. Information is also available on the site about the types of items BARCS appreciates as donations.

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