Arlington Animal Shelter

Positive Changes at the Animal Welfare League of Arlington

2011-07-29T09:32:00.000-07:00

After ten months on the job, I am happy to report some very positive changes that have taken place for the animals at the Animal Welfare League of Arlington. First and foremost, euthanasias have decreased by 60% over the previous fiscal year. Our positive outcome rate for dogs has increased from 80% to 91%; for cats from 70% to 85%; and for small companion animals from 79% to 97%. Our fiscal year statistics are posted on our Web site.

We have successfully treated 21 cats for ringworm and found them new homes and have adopted 45 adult cats for no adoption fee. Free adoptions of adult cats have helped reduce the time adult cats stay in the shelter and have helped prevent overcrowding which leads to disease.

Although we have had many dogs with behavioral challenges, our adoptions team and volunteers have worked with them diligently on behavior modification and have given them extended periods of exercise to help them be more comfortable and relaxed in the shelter. Wonderful people have contributed their professional expertise in training and photography to help make all of our dogs more appealing to potential adopters. And as always our adoptions staff gives follow-up support to adopters whenever needed. We continue to develop positive relationships with local rescue groups. Our recently formed Pit Crew, consisting of shelter volunteers with a staff liaison, actively promotes a positive image of the breed to help raise our adoption of pit bulls.

Through a generous donation from two dedicated volunteers, we created a Very Important Pet (VIP) Lounge in our front office to bring attention to animals that have not gained attention from potential adopters. Dogs that do not show well in our kennel receive extra socialization and are seen in a more home-like environment in the Lounge. You may also sometimes find one of our bunnies enjoying the spacious play area in the VIP Lounge.

Our Trap-Neuter-Return program for helping community cats avoids the euthanasia of healthy cats while preventing an increase in the number of feral cats in our community. We hold information workshops regularly to educate residents on the program.

These positive changes have been a group effort among staff, volunteers, board members, and donors. Every one of you can surely take pride in the part you have played in these improvements. Thank you so much for your help and support. I hope you will continue to be a part of our work in the months ahead as we continue to strive toward giving every animal in our care the best possible experience and ultimately save more lives.

Sincerely,

Neil Trent
Executive Director
Animal Welfare League of Arlington
________________________________________

Why Don't More Cats Wear Collars?

2011-03-16T07:29:00.000-07:00

A recent study reported in Animal Sheltering Magazine (March/April 2011) cites an earlier study in Ohio in which only 17% of cat owners said their cats wear some form of visual identification and only 3% have microchips. No wonder it is so difficult to return lost cats to their owners!

The study also says that nationally only 2% of stray cats entering animal shelters are reunited with their owners. The League's record is much better: we reunite 19% of stray cats with owners. We would of course like to make that percentage much higher. The League microchips all our cats prior to adoption, and our adoption contract requires that adopters ensure that their cats always wear elastic safety collars and identification tags.

The focus of the study was to find out what percentage of pet cats would wear collars for six months and still have functioning microchips. 538 cats were microchipped and given collars. At the end of six months, 73% of cats were still wearing their collars and had functioning microchips. The study also found that owners who felt more positively about their cats wearing collars were more likely to have cats who succeeded in wearing them longer.

Many more lost cats could get back home if their owners were diligent about keeping collars with identification on them. Even indoor cats (all pet cats should be indoors) need to wear identification in case they get outside by accident. It happens all the time: we get calls almost daily about indoor cats that have accidentally gotten outside and are not wearing identification.

So cat lovers, please microchip your pet cats and make sure that they always wear elastic safety collars with identification.

An Orange Kitten and the Ringworm Saga of 2010

2010-12-23T13:45:00.000-08:00

This is the story of a little orange cat with a few patches of missing fur. She came to the shelter in July 2010 as a stray at about two months old. We named her Mia Bella. She had an upper respiratory infection and some fur loss in patches. We began treating her for her cold, and in early August a test confirmed that she had ringworm.

Ringworm is not caused by a worm. It is an infection of the skin caused by a fungus. Ringworm is contagious. It spreads when you have skin-to-skin contact with a person or animal that has it. It can also spread on things like towels and clothing. So we began weekly lime dips and systemic treatment with intraconazole. Then another cat came in with patchy fur loss, and another. Finally, we had 21 cats with confirmed ringworm that were all undergoing weekly dipping, weekly testing, and systemic treatment. The cats also had to be quarantined from all other animals and people. So we converted our cat sick bay room and previous dog receiving room into ringworm quarantine 1 and 2.

Animal care technicians have to wear protective clothing including hair and shoe covers to go in these rooms to clean and care for the quarantined cats. Of course, this is in addition to caring for the 60-80 other cats in the shelter. We also began completely stripping, cleaning, and disinfecting the rooms with a bleach solution once a week. Sometimes animal care staff came in late at night to disinfect after everyone else was gone. Even with precautions, a few staff members caught the fungus themselves. We also instituted some new cleaning protocols in our other cat areas to reduce the possibility of contamination.

After five months of treatment and a set-back with a serious jaw infection that required surgery, Mia Bella finally was healthy enough for adoption. She moved out of quarantine into our main cat room and was soon adopted into a loving home. To date, nine of our 21 quarantined cats have fully recovered and eight of those have been adopted. We expect to have a few more weeks of treatment before all the cats are ready for adoption and we can close the chapter on the ringworm saga of 2010.

Our animal care technicians have risked infection, bleach fume overload, and exhaustion to save these cats and make them healthy. Administrative staff have helped out with regular cleaning so that animal care technicians could focus on the extra cleaning that the ringworm requires. We all hope we never see ringworm again, but if and when we do, we certainly know how to handle it.

League Adoption Featured in novadog Magazine

2010-04-27T06:02:00.000-07:00

Read about an adoption success story in the Spring 2010 issue of novadog magazine. Shadow came to the League in March 2009 because his owner could no longer care for him. He was five years old, thin, and had a chronic skin condition that caused patches of fur to fall out. After we shaved down his fur, began treating the skin condition, and neutered him, he became available for adoption. But few potential adopters took interest in him.

Finally, at the end of June 2009, an experienced chow chow owner saw Shadow on our Web site. She came in to meet him and fell in love with his mellow personality. Since July 2009 Shadow has enjoyed a stable and loving home.

Thanks to novadog for promoting shelter adoptions!

Parakeets Die From Kitchen Fumes

2010-03-08T11:32:00.000-08:00

An adopter has sadly notified us that her four parakeets all died on a recent evening while she was cooking. She believes the fumes from a non-stick oven liner are to blame. Although she knew the danger of teflon-coated pans to birds, she did not realize that many other products contain the same "perfluorinated" chemicals (PTFE).

Some Common Sources of PTFE:

Non-stick pots, pans, and other cookware
Stain repellants
Space heaters and heat lamp covers
Non-stick irons and ironing board covers
Hair dryers
Non-stick oven drip pans and broiler pans
Non-stick griddles, woks, waffle makers, electric skillets, tortilla presses
Non-stick hot air corn poppers, coffee makers, bread makers
Non-stick slow cookers, roasters, pizza pans
Ceramic cooking stoves

Source:http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=15+1912&aid=2874

While heartbroken over the deaths of her parakeets, she wants to warn others about this danger. See avianweb.com for more information.

51 Spay Day Surgeries

2010-02-25T06:47:00.000-08:00

Thanks to the generous support of donors to our Hantke Memorial Spay/Neuter Fund we have subsidized surgeries for 51 cats and dogs for Spay Day 2010. Low-income pet parents paid only $25 for the surgery and the Hantke Fund paid the remainder. The Washington Metropolitan Spay/Neuter Center and Fairfax Animal Hospital performed the surgeries at very low cost for us. We plan to do four more surgeries on Friday at Arlington Animal Hospital.

While Spay Day brings attention to the need for low-cost surgery in February each year, the League offers reduced cost spay and neuter year-round. The best way to solve the pet overpopulation problem is prevention!

Cairn Terriers Get New Lives

2010-01-28T12:09:00.000-08:00

In mid-December an owner brought in two older Cairn terriers (10 and 12 years old) and requested that they be humanely euthanized. Because they were older dogs and the family could no longer care for them, he thought euthanasia was the only choice. We noticed that although older, the dogs seemed in good condition. We explained that we would like to investigate the dogs’ health and possibly place them in an adoptive home, and he was glad for us to try.

Both dogs were slightly overweight, had matted coats, and had severe dental disease. After examinations by one of our volunteer visiting veterinarians, they went to a local animal hospital for blood tests and dental cleanings. Our Woody and Mickey Healthy Pet Fund provided the $600 needed for their treatment. A volunteer groomer gave them baths and new haircuts. They looked like different dogs!

After all their treatments, Skye and Brie went up for adoption as a bonded pair that needed to be adopted together. Probably because of their age, there wasn’t much adoption interest. Fortunately, the Cairn Rescue League, a national nonprofit based in New Hampshire, saw the dogs on Petfinder and contacted us. The rescue group found an available foster home in New Hampshire and even found a driver who would pick them up and take them to their new home.

Six weeks after arriving at the League, Skye and Brie left for their new lives in the northeast. Years ago this rescue probably would not have been possible. Our Healthy Pet Fund allows us to determine older pets’ health with diagnostic tests and to treat them for correctable problems. The growth of rescue groups devoted to specific breeds and types of animals often makes it possible to find homes even for animals with manageable medical or behavioral issues. Our adoption team has devoted a great deal of effort establishing relationships with rescue groups and will continue to work for the best outcome for every animal in our care.

TV Appearance Results in Adoption

2010-01-21T06:36:00.000-08:00

Last October an owner surrendered two five-year-old Siberian huskies because of moving. Muska (male) and Sierra (female) turned out to be sweethearts. They needed to be spayed and neutered and Muska had an eye abnormality called entropian. We had the neutering surgery done and at the same time Muska's entropian was repaired thanks to our Woody and Mickey Healthy Pet Fund. We were all so excited when the pair were adopted in mid-November.

But two days after their adoption, the huskies were returned. They had whimpered and cried and had housetraining accidents in their new home. Although this behavior is not that unusual during a period of adjustment, the adopter did not think that he/she could work through it. Everyone here was disappointed but we believed that our lovable pair could do well with someone who could be patient with them.

On November 30 we had the chance to bring animals on Fox 5 TV and we chose to bring Muska and Sierra. Of course, they charmed everyone at the TV studio and showed off their adorable natures on camera. We posted the video on the dogs' detail pages on our Web site and also on Petfinder.

Miles away in Long Island, New York, a man searched Petfinder for a Siberian husky and found Muska and Sierra. He told us that as soon as he saw the video, he thought, "those are my dogs." He contacted us right away about adoption. We don't usually place animals that far away, but no one locally had shown interest in adopting them. The husky lover in New York sent us a reference from his veterinarian (he had owned a husky before) and sent us a video showing us his home.

On December 16 the man and his son drove down from Long Island and had their face-to-face meeting with the dogs and an interview with our adoption manager. They took Muska and Sierra home that day! They have since sent us reports that the dogs have settled into their new home beautifully--and they love all the snow!

Technology has made it a small world, and we're grateful for all the means available now to find that perfect home for a deserving animal.

Washington Post Says Charities Strike Out

2009-12-09T12:47:00.000-08:00

John Kelly's column in today's Washington Post takes on charities that share the names of their donors with other charities. The man mentioned in Kelly's column was deluged with mail from hundreds of charities. This would certainly turn anyone off of donating. He quotes Charity Navigator, a charity-rating Web site, as saying that charities selling or renting their donor lists to other charities is "common."

To set the record straight for anyone who is (rightfully) concerned about this:
The Animal Welfare League of Arlington never sells or rents information about our donors. You can read all about it in our Privacy Policy, but the bottom line is:
we don't share our donor information. Period.

A Reason to be Thankful

2009-11-25T09:41:00.001-08:00

Top: Madge with her adopter. Bottom: Madge when she arrived at the shelter.

Whenever an adopter comes in to visit at the shelter, we are thrilled to see one of our "graduates." Today the visiting graduate made us especially excited. Madge came to us last May from an owner who could not care for her. She had bald patches due to mange and an ulcer on one eye. After extensive medical treatment paid for by our Woody and Mickey Health Pet Fund, Madge found a new home in August. She is in great health and as happy and wiggly as can be. Her adopter is crazy about her and very proud to show her off.

We are so thankful to the donors that make the Healthy Pet Fund possible and to adopters who open their hearts and homes to animals that need them.

Pet-Friendly Sheltering Exercise

2009-11-10T11:52:00.000-08:00

Today we had the honor to participate in a pet-friendly sheltering exercise sponsored by Fairfax County and the Northern Virginia Regional Commission. The exercise was a drill designed to test the pet-friendly sheltering model first established in this area by the Animal Welfare League of Arlington.

The exercise took place at the Prince William County Fairgrounds and involved participants from Prince William County, the City of Manassas, the City of Falls Church, Fairfax County, and the City of Alexandria. Animal Welfare League of Arlington staff served as evaluators. We also brought along our disaster trailer so that our supplies could be used in the exercise.

The exercise went very smoothly. All the participating (stuffed) dogs, cats, and other animals were successfully registered and housed. Each jurisdiction that participated took home valuable lessons. The best part of the experience was the cooperation among so many different sheltering groups. It definitely bodes well for Northern Virginia pets if there should be a real disaster.

Adopt a Senior Pet Month

2009-11-04T08:18:00.000-08:00

If it's November, it must be Adopt a Senior Pet Month. This program, recognized by animal shelters across the country, tries to bring attention to the thousands of older pets that find themselves homeless every year. We've reduced adoption fees to encourage potential adopters to consider an older pet.

My dog is 12 years old, and I'm enjoying the benefits of having an older pet. She still enjoys her walks, but they don't need to be nearly as long as they were in her younger days. She is quiet and calm in the house and is content to sleep on the sofa while we're at work. She doesn't jump all over people who come to visit, but approaches them calmly for a head scratch. She occasionally enjoys a chew toy, but doesn't bother other household things.

I'm sure people with older cats have the same feelings about the pleasures of sharing a home with a mature pet. For people who have busy lives (everyone in this area!), older pets are perfect. Come meet a perfect companion at the League!

Busy Weekend for Pets

2009-10-26T08:14:00.000-07:00

Wow! Lots of activities this weekend promoted pet adoptions! First, the League's third annual Barks 'n Beer Festival brought out League friends and their dogs on Saturday. They enjoyed free hotdogs and root beer, contests, prizes, reduced price retail items, and doggie baths and nail trims. Despite the wet weather, lots of people and dogs enjoyed the afternoon. And whether related to the event or not, nine cats found new adoptive homes!

Then on Sunday, Oct. 25, we joined some other rescue groups at the Caring Hands Animal Hospital Open House. Link, a Brittany Spaniel, was one of our shelter dogs that visited with people at the open house. We hope he made an impression on someone who will decide to adopt him.

Bungalow in Shirlington Helps Animals

2009-07-30T13:22:00.000-07:00

Today Peter Mirguet of The Bungalow in Shirlington delivered a check to the League for almost $5,000. This donation represents the proceeds from Bungalow's Cause for Paws on July 25. The popular Shirlington spot hosted this special event to spotlight the League's mission of promoting animal welfare and finding loving homes for companion animals.

League volunteers and staff handed out information and showed off pets for adoption. Bungalow held a raffle and silent auction for great prizes and donated all tips received during the event. Speaking for all the homeless animals that enter the League's doors, we thank Peter and all the staff at Bungalow for their generosity.

North Carolina Puppies Get New Homes

2009-07-30T13:07:00.000-07:00

This past May Dr. Laura Chadwick, a veterinarian with the Asheville (North Carolina) Humane Society, contacted us to see if we could take some of the many dogs (primarily puppies) currently at her shelter. We agreed and Dr. Chadwick has transported 15 dogs to us since then. Fourteen of them have already been adopted, including "Butter" pictured above. The fifteenth, a beagle named Bugler, is currently available for adoption.

To read more about our transfer program with shelter partners, read the latest issue of Pawpourri.

Dr. Chadwick recently sent the following note to our adoptions manager:

I can't thank you and your staff enough for helping place some of our Asheville dogs. I know you have plenty of animals to help already, so your willingness to go out of your way for a few more means so much to us (and of course to the doggies!). I hope one day our community will be able to find homes for most of the pets that need our help. Until then, we are so grateful to you and the AWLA.

Sincerely,
Laura Chadwick, DVM

Sick Kittens Improve

2009-07-14T12:46:00.000-07:00

Our assistant animal care manager just sent the staff an update on some of our shelter animals:

Just a quick note and picture of four of the "20 kittens" that all came in sick just a few weeks ago. The kittens were found in a colony of feral cats in another county and brought to the League. Almost all of them had severe upper respiratory infection with discharge from eyes and nose and severe congestion. Four of the kittens turned out to be too sick to save and had to be euthanized. One is still being treated at a local veterinary hospital.

All the remaining ones except for these are in foster homes! These four were not well enough to go to a foster home so they are here at the shelter. We're hoping that all of them will be well enough to be available for adoption later this summer. They are getting healthier and more adventurous by the minute...the only problem is they don't understand the concept of sleeping INSIDE their beds instead of on top of them. Thank you to all that helped with the oftentimes insurmountable task of caring for such a large group of "sickies"- because of you these kittens will have a chance at a happy, healthy life!!!!

Bunnies Have Their Day

2009-07-06T10:14:00.000-07:00

On May 31, the Animal Welfare League of Arlington’s education room was transformed into a spa, and 21 rabbits enjoyed an afternoon of luxurious pampering at "Bunny Spa Day" sponsored by Friends of Rabbits. Expert rabbit groomers volunteered their services to brush, comb, primp, and trim nails. Then it was on to the ultimate in rabbit relaxation with head-to-toe treatment by bunny massage therapist, Aileen Hudspeth. In her hands even the biggest, friskiest rabbits were quickly entranced in total bunny bliss. Some of the shelter residents were treated to a grooming session as well.

To finish a perfect day, rabbit guardians were able to pick out some special toys and treats for their long-eared friends to enjoy at home. A good time was had by all, and at the end of the day Friends of Rabbits presented the League with a check for $578 to help pay for spay and neuter of shelter rabbits. If you are thinking of adopting a bunny of your own to love and spoil, the shelter always has many looking for wonderful homes.

Free Cat Adoptions

2009-06-19T12:29:00.000-07:00

Saturday, June 20, we are staying open until 8:00 pm to try to get some of our 56 available cats adopted. It's almost summer and like most other animal shelters, we are inundated with cats and kittens. So anyone who wants to adopt a cat should come in on Saturday. We have kittens and adults. All cats that are at least five years old can be adopted for free on Saturday only. It's not that we don't value our mature cats, we just want to do whatever it takes to find them loving homes.

With a Little Help from Our Friends

2009-06-02T08:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was reminded that there are so many people in our community that want to help homeless animals. Robin Burkett of Pawprints Photography has sponsored many of the League's events, but she wanted to do something more for the animals. She volunteered to come to the shelter and take photos of our dogs available for adoption. Although we try to take good photos, we're certainly not going to turn down the chance to have a professional put our animals in their best light.

We are also lucky to have another photographer, Allison DeSilva, who comes in weekly to photograph our cats and sometimes other animals. When people lend their expertise to help animals that need homes, everyone wins.

Robin arrived at 8:30 and we took dogs outside in our backyard one at a time for their photo shoot. I learned that making really weird noises is a good way to get a dog to look at the camera. We even had a bonded pair to work with. It's really hard to get a good photo of two dogs together! But Robin did it!

After working her magic on the photos at her office, Robin e-mailed them to me and I got them up on the Web site. They are fabulous! Thank you so much, Robin. She even posted the photos on her own blog.

With help from friends like these, we can do a better job of letting people know about the animals here at the shelter that are just waiting for them to come in and adopt.

Kittens Need Foster Homes

2009-05-20T12:09:00.000-07:00

Kitten season has definitely begun. We have 44 kittens and cats in 11 different volunteer foster homes. These are kittens that are younger than seven weeks and/or weigh less than 2.5 pounds. Only two of these litters are with a nursing mother cat. The others must be fed, taught, and cleaned by a gentle human being. When these kittens are thriving and weigh 2.5 pounds, their foster parents return them to the shelter. They are spayed/neutered and then made available for adoption.

It takes a special person to become a foster parent. You have to devote yourself to these helpless creatures for several weeks and then you must let go. Our foster parents become very attached and after returning kittens and cats to the shelter some check daily to see if their kittens have been adopted. Our foster parents report that although their job is difficult, with some sleepless nights and many messes to clean up, it is very rewarding.

We also have three dogs in three foster homes while they recover from necessary medical treatment. So if you're not a cat person, we still need you.

If you think foster parenting is for you, please complete the volunteer foster application and send it to foster@awla.org.

Best Friends Praises League Policy

2009-04-24T10:59:00.000-07:00

Best Friends Animal Society noticed our story on pit bulls in our latest issue of Pawpourri. In the story we explain that the League Board of Directors changed a 20-year-old policy preventing the adoption of pit bulls. The Best Friends online network has a section devoted to ending breed-specific bans.

In the League policy's first year of implementation we found homes for 13 pit bulls, including Sina pictured above with her new mom. Both the dogs and their new families seem to be happy, and we have taken another step toward finding homes for all adoptable animals in our care.

Adopt an Older Cat

2009-04-03T07:20:00.000-07:00

We have a number of cats in the shelter that are 10 years or older. They are healthy and friendly and need good homes. Like Bennett, pictured above, they may not have the bounce and antics of younger cats, but they can be wonderful companions and lap warmers.

To encourage people to adopt these sweet kitties, we're offering a reduced adoption fee of $50 for them. We even have a bonded pair that can be adopted for $75 for both. If you have room in your heart and home for a mature feline friend, please consider bringing one of these deserving kitties into your life.

Cheers for Animals!

2009-03-30T12:30:00.000-07:00

On March 13, the brewers of Shirlington's Capitol City Brewing Company showed what good neighbors and animal lovers they are by collecting donations for the Animal Welfare League of Arlington in lieu of tips! In addition to the servers' generosity, the company matched the donations and even added a little extra!

The next week two of our friends at Capital City delivered a check for $750 to help the animals! We'll drink to that!

The Luck of the Arlington Shelter

2009-03-12T10:00:00.000-07:00

This St Patty's Day weekend, the residents of the Arlington Animal Shelter are reminded of how lucky they are to have such great supporters! On Friday night, the brewers of Shirlington's Capitol City Brewing Company will be collecting donations for the shelter in lieu of tips! And if that's not generous enough, at the end of the night, all donations will be matched by the Capitol City Brewing Company!

70 Animals Neutered for $25 Each

2009-03-05T09:08:00.000-08:00

Staff wears their Spay Day t-shirts to welcome pet owners on Friday morning.

We have had a fantastic response to our Spay Day offer of spaying/neutering cats and dogs for $25 plus getting a free microchip. Low-income owners of 70 pets in our community have taken advantage of this opportunity to protect their pets' health and prevent unwanted litters!

The League is subsidizing the cost of the surgeries and we are providing the microchips for free. We are lucky to have the National Capital Spay Neuter Center and Fairfax Animal Hospital as our partners in this vital community service. The funds for subsidizing the surgeries comes from our Hantke Memorial Spay Neuter Fund.

Last Friday at 6:30am we loaded up 30 animals in our van and drove them to the Spay Neuter Center. By 9:00pm that night all of the pets had been returned to their owners newly neutered and microchipped. We're doing it again this Friday! We had so much interest in the program that several other pets will be getting the same services at Fairfax Animal Hospital.

While we offer low-cost neutering all year round, this special applies only to our participation in Spay Day. It's great to see so many loved companions getting such a needed service.

Giving Thanks for "Patience"

2009-01-08T10:21:00.000-08:00

Every animal that comes in to our shelter has lost its home, but sometimes the story is particularly sad. On October 27, 2008, an Arlington County employee found a cat in a carrier under a pile of household goods in front of an empty house. The worker brought the cat to the Animal Welfare League of Arlington. We guessed that the cat’s owner may have been evicted. The cat’s front left paw was tightly wrapped with a cloth bandage. When we unwrapped the bandage we saw that the paw was swollen badly and showed signs of infection. We sent the cat to Caring Hands Animal Hospital where doctors found ulcerations, infection, and dead tissue. They prescribed pain medication and an antibiotic. They thought that they might need to amputate the paw.

After about a week of soaking the paw twice a day and changing the bandage, kennel staff named the cat Patience because of her amazing tolerance of all the uncomfortable treatment that she needed. Then we sent the female orange tabby to Fairfax Animal Hospital where doctors sedated her, removed dead skin and soaked her foot. An X-ray of the paw showed fractures of the bones that run between the fingers and the wrist. Under sedation her left premolars were removed because the roots were exposed.

On November 18 Patience was rechecked at Fairfax Animal Hospital and sent back to us with the following treatment protocol: every 2-3 days, remove bandage and soak paw in dilute Chlorhexidine solution for 10 minutes. With gauze pad, gently scrub off any remaining dead tissue and wipe paw dry. Allow paw to air dry completely, then apply antibiotic ointment, cover with Tefla pad, wrap with cast padding (make wrap supportive/thick to give more support to broken toes), then apply kling gauze, and finally vetwrap. Repeat and change dressing every 2-3 days. Our kennel staff performed all her needed care while also caring for more than 100 other animals every day.

On December 1, Patience went back to the hospital for follow-up x-rays. They showed that the wound was healing. She no longer needed bandages, but still needed her medications and cage rest. During all her time here Patience has resided in our Adoption Manager’s office with a comfy cat bed. Kennel staff brought her medications and treated her there.

Patience’s paw still looks scarred and fragile, but she walks with only a slight limp. Because of the dedication of our staff, the expertise of local veterinarians, and money provided by the Woody and Mickey Healthy Pet Fund, what began as a very sad story has turned into a story of triumph. Patience survived, her paw is healing, and she has remained the most gentle and friendly cat throughout her entire ordeal. Since no owner has come forward to claim her, she is now available for adoption.

Marley and Us

2008-11-13T07:10:00.000-08:00

Five Animal Welfare League of Arlington dogs got to meet a Hollywood star today, Brownie, the yellow Labrador starring in Marley and Me. The movie is an adaptation of the bestselling book of the same name by John Grogan. It’s the story of a very badly behaved dog and the people who love him anyway. Of course, Brownie, the acting dog, is very well behaved.

Our dogs got their brush with stardom on the Ellipse in front of the White House at a publicity event for the new movie being released in December. The American Humane Association and the movie’s producers are promoting pet adoptions in 15 cities after being inspired by president-elect Obama’s stated desire to adopt a dog for his daughters. The event showcased four area shelters and some of the hundreds of dogs in the metro area that need homes.

We hope that publicity about this event will encourage more people to consider adopting dogs, cats, rabbit, birds, ferrets, and other companion animals from shelters rather than buying pets.

"Howl-oween" Helps Homeless Animals

2008-10-31T10:44:00.000-07:00

a.k.a. spot The Pet's Shop and photographer Brian McGahren held a holiday fundraiser for the League on Saturday, October 25. Customers brought their best animal friends (in costume) and had their photos made for a contribution of $5.00. a.k.a. spot then matched the amount raised from photos to give a $400 donation to the League.

We send a big thank you to Lucy McCausland of a.k.a. spot for sponsoring this great event and for donating to help homeless animals in our community.

Friends for Life

2008-10-17T10:33:00.000-07:00

We recently received two stories from adopters about the "friends for life" that they found at the Animal Welfare League of Arlington. These stories illustrate ideal outcomes of our work: animals that found loving, permanent homes for their entire lives. We salute these and all of our adopters who make a loving commitment for their companions' lifetime.

I wanted to take a moment to write the Animal Welfare League of Arlington and thank you for your hard work. In 1995, I adopted a young dog from your shelter. Yesterday, at the age of 14, we put our shep-chow-mix, Shelby to sleep.

About Shelby: I named her after (red-head) Julia Roberts character in Steel Magnolia's. She was a great dog: incredibly obedient (a Canine Good Citizen), smart, athletic, and protective. She taught me a lot about patience. As a mixed-breed, she had few health problems. When I was a teacher for students with special needs, she came to school with me every Friday and was loved by students and staff -- she even made the yearbook.

I wasn't always a good owner but she was always a good dog.

Anyway, I just wanted to thank you for letting a wet-behind-the-ears 23 year old adopt a pet. Below is a pic of Shelby with my husband.

Lauren

Butch Carpenter-Peters, beloved companion of Ernest Carpenter, died October 9, 2008, by injection at All Creatures Animal Hospital in Naples, Fla. He had been ill for several weeks and treated unsuccessfully for several maladies.

Butch, a mix of poodle and cocker spaniel, was born April 11, 1997, in Fredericksburg, Va. His first “owners” named him Nickelodeon, or Nikki, but gave him up to the Animal Welfare League of Arlington after a few months because of inability to train him. It was at that point in his life, on Sept. 11, 1997, at exactly age five months, that he was adopted by partners Ernest Carpenter and William Peters, who renamed him “Butch,” to better suit his more active, Type A personality.

For many years, Butch resided in the Lake Barcroft area of Falls Church, Va., with the Carpenter-Peters household, making many neighborhood friends there and officiating as greeter at the household’s frequent pool parties and other gatherings. In 2000, he was joined in the household by Brittany, a Tibetan terrier, with whom he became life-long friends. Brittany, too, was adopted from the Animal Welfare League of Arlington.

In 2005, with breakup of the Carpenter-Peters household, Butch moved to Florida with Mr. Carpenter, who retired in Naples. Brittany remained in northern Virginia with Mr. Peters. In early 2008, Brittany visited Butch for three months in Naples, and in late May and early June Butch visited Brittany in Virginia. That was the last time they saw each other.

In early September, Butch became mildly ill but his condition worsened throughout the month. After frequent visits to the veterinarian and a number of medications, Butch lost his vitality but never his appetite. His last food was a small bowl of vanilla ice cream, his favorite but rare treat. Butch will be sorely missed by his many friends in Naples and the Washington, D.C., area.

Ernie

After 14 Months, Karen Finds a Home

2008-09-17T09:42:00.000-07:00

If you've visited our cat room in the past 14 months, you probably saw Karen, a black and white cat in one of our kitty "apartments." We tried to keep her separate from other cats because she really didn't like them. She could be affectionate, but on her own terms. She didn't particularly like to be picked up. Over those 14 months hundreds of other cats were adopted, but Karen remained with us. Our kids' camp children had even written "Adopt Karen" in chalk on our sidewalk. We were beginning to think there was no one out there for her.

But last weekend a miracle occurred. A woman came in looking for an independent, adult cat. One of our tireless cat room volunteers, CarolAnne, showed her Karen. She explained Karen's temperament and behavior, and the woman was not put off. After Karen settled down in the visiting room, she jumped up on the bench where the woman was sitting. Then she climbed in her lap and licked her face! CarolAnne was amazed. The woman loved Karen's independent nature and decided to adopt her.

The next day CarolAnne couldn't wait to find out how Karen was doing in her new home so she called the adopter. She reported that Karen had made herself completely comfortable in her new surroundings and was at that moment sitting in her lap. Everyone at the shelter is overjoyed. We knew Karen would be a great companion for the right person. We are so thankful for our adopters who open their hearts and their homes to animals that need them so much.

Local Radio Highlights Animal Shelters

2008-07-08T11:29:00.000-07:00

This morning I turned on my car radio to WAMU 88.5 and was thrilled to hear a story about local animal shelters. The reporter interviewed representatives from the Washington Humane Society and Montgomery County Animal Services about the tremendous influx of cats and dogs in the spring and summer months and the shortage of people interested in adopting them.

The interviews pointed up the sadness and frustration that shelter workers experience when animals keep pouring in (up to 100 cats per day in Washington) and there aren’t enough homes for them. It’s great to hear the news media presenting an animal story from the shelter workers’ point of view. These are the people on the front lines of animal welfare who must cope with the consequences of their community’s failure to spay and neuter their pets.

We in Arlington are fortunate to have animals coming into the shelter in much smaller numbers than in Washington, but summer crowding is always a problem. We currently have 54 cats available for adoption, some of which have been with us for months. If any WAMU listeners are inspired to adopt a pet from a local animal shelter or to spay and neuter their current pets, then the story was a huge benefit to animal welfare in our community.

Adopt-a-Cat Month in Arlington

2008-06-04T09:57:00.000-07:00

We’re all excited about the challenge we have set for ourselves this month: find permanent, loving homes for 100 cats! June marks the beginning of the season when kittens are brought in to the League in droves, and we still receive plenty of adult cats. Our cat room gets very full, and many of our adult cats don’t get visitors’ attention because of all the cute kittens. So we’re creating incentives to find adopters for all of them!

On June 7 the League will host the Saturday Scoop. Visitors that day will get free ice cream and a 20% discount on any retail purchase. Also, anyone who finalizes the adoption of an adult cat will get 50% off the normal cat adoption fee on this day only. So come in, get some ice cream, and take a look at our adult cats that are waiting so patiently for someone to give them a loving home.

Also, all month cat adopters’ names will be put in a bowl, and at the end of June we will draw names to receive terrific prizes, including a pair of Nationals’ tickets. So June is a great time to find a new love: one that will be forever grateful that you opened your heart and your home.

One great example is Misty pictured above. She is approaching an anniversary. She has been with us for almost a full year. Why has she been overlooked by all our visitors? She is quiet and a little shy, but very friendly when she gets to know you. We hope that someone with a kind heart will want to take Misty home this month.

Wildlife Aid Brigade to the Rescue

2008-05-21T08:20:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, May 17, volunteers rescued a mother and four baby ducks in the launch of a pilot program called the Wildlife Aid Brigade. The project involves volunteers interested in directly helping wild animals. It was created by Sue Lunson Farinato, a Maryland wildlife rehabilitator, to protect wild animals and to assist animal shelters with the wildlife calls that they receive every day.

The Animal Welfare League of Arlington is the first shelter in the metro region to implement the new program. So far one AWLA volunteer has completed the wildlife training and two more are in progress.

On Sunday afternoon a caller from a pool at a large high-rise apartment complex in Arlington reported that a mallard female and her ducklings were unable to get out of the pool. Our Wildlife Aid Brigade volunteer, Tracy Coppola, accompanied by Sue Farinato, responded. Sue described the rescue:

The staff at the apartment complex was very helpful and accommodated our every request. We rigged up a raft in the corner, covered it with towels and waited for the babies to find it. They were getting tired, and mother kept hopping in and out of the pool. Finally she got out of the pool near the raft and the ducklings hopped onto the raft then out of the pool.

Meanwhile I had contacted Lee Prouty, one of the WAB instructors very experienced in waterfowl rescue. She called a Virginia rehabber, Jim Snyder, who came out to assist us. We could not leave the mother and babies there, because the pool ourtyard was entirely surrounded by a 3' wall. The mother could not have led the babies to food, and there was nothing but concrete inside the courtyard. Jim arrived and we came up with a plan for capturing them.

Extremely careful work allowed us to get within a few feet of the mother, and Jim netted her. Tracy and I caught the babies, and they all were put in the same carrier for transport to Roaches Run Waterfowl Sanctuary, only a short distance away. …. While we can't actually relocate most species, waterfowl is one which we can!

This rescue demonstrates the time, care, and knowledge required to help wildlife in our urban environment. We hope more volunteers will join this exciting program.

Rabid Fox in Arlington

2008-05-20T11:34:00.000-07:00

A gray fox ran up to a woman in her south Arlington yard and bit her on May 9. A neighbor drove the fox away by throwing an oil can at it. Police, emergency medical technicians, and animal control responded. When animal control officers arrived, the fox was under an emergency vehicle biting the mud flaps. Officers netted the fox and brought it back to the shelter and euthanized it. It was sent for testing at the Virginia state laboratory, and on May 13 the lab reported that the fox tested positive for rabies.

The woman who was bitten is receiving anti-rabies treatment and is expected to have no long-term effects from the bite. The Arlington County Public Health Division sent an alert to local Civic Associations to identify any other people or animals who may have been exposed. While a rabid fox attack is extremely rare in Arlington, it illustrates the importance of keeping our distance from wildlife.

“Rabies is endemic in our area. People need to be aware that there are wild animals, including foxes, in many of our neighborhoods,” said Richard Cole, chief of the County’s Environmental Health Bureau.

We receive calls every day from Arlington residents concerned about wildlife. As more and more land is built over, wild animals are forced to live closer to human beings. Wild animals play an important role in our environment: for example, bats eat mosquitoes and foxes eat insects, rats, and mice. Also, observing our native species is an exciting way to connect with our natural world.

Residents can take steps to discourage wildlife from living in their yards: remove attractions, such as garbage or pet food, and keep your yard free of debris that could serve as habitat. Neighbors can work together to make their community less inviting to wildlife. If your neighbor is leaving pet food outdoors or intentionally feeding wildlife, educate them about the danger of coming into close contact with some wildlife. Even bird seed that falls on the ground can attract mice and rats, and these attract foxes. We can also take the essential step of keeping our dogs and cats current on rabies vaccinations.

The likelihood of encountering a rabid animal is extremely rare, but there are cases of rabies every year. Animals that test positive most often are raccoons and feral cats. We haven’t had a rabid fox in Arlington in years. The great majority of wildlife seen in Arlington is healthy, but signs of illness include having trouble walking, walking in circles, and staggering. If you see an animal exhibiting these signs of illness, call the League immediately at 703-931-9241.

Farewell to Brutus

2008-05-13T10:10:00.000-07:00

Last week we experienced the most difficult part of pet companionship: loss. Our shelter mascot, Brutus, died last Friday. Brutus was a handsome and supremely confident Ragdoll cat. He was surrendered to the shelter in August 2001 because his owner was moving. His name at the time was Brutella because when he was a kitten his owner thought he was a female. Of course, he was a neutered male so we thought the name Brutus was much more appropriate.

We had been without a mascot for two years since our long-time shelter cat, Wilson, had died. A former staff member campaigned for Brutus to become Wilson’s successor, and he certainly proved himself worthy. At first he spent his days at our front desk greeting (or not) all our visitors. But he proved to be somewhat moody and was not always as welcoming as one might want. Therefore, we decided that Brutus would be better off spending his time in our offices.

He kept a strict eye on all our activities and helped out sitting on papers and keyboards. His most important job, however, was that of dog behavior evaluator. All the shelter dogs would meet Brutus before being made available for adoption so that we could see how they reacted to a cat. These encounters helped us inform potential adopters about whether their prospective dog would do well with cats.

Brutus, of course, was no ordinary cat and did not react the way an ordinary cat might. He never ran. He would stand his ground while facing the (leashed) dog and dare it to annoy him. Some dogs weren’t even worthy of notice, so he would turn his back to them. Most dogs needed only a scowl from Brutus to back off, but the pushy ones were met with a smack from his hefty paw. I once saw an unfortunate puppy stick his nose in Brutus’ food dish. In a split second Brutus had bitten him on the top of the head, and the puppy ran squealing away.

Brutus did play favorites among our staff. Lisa was his prime source of food, and he followed her wherever she went. Ann, Alice, and Rita were his executive assistants charged with brushing his long fur and arranging his favorite cat beds. When none of the four were available, he visited with others of us who could provide less desirable attention.

During his seven years with us (he was about seven years old in 2001), Brutus had several health problems that were carefully treated and monitored. So it was shocking when we found him unable to stand last Thursday morning. We took him to his veterinarian at Caring Hands Animal Hospital, and after examining him he referred us to SouthPaws Veterinary Referral Center. But Brutus continued to decline. On Friday morning, in consultation with the veterinarian at South Paws, we decided to have him humanely euthanized.

We weren’t prepared for Brutus’s death, and even if we had been it wouldn’t make it any easier to walk in the shelter offices in the morning and not see him. Like any well loved companion, Brutus made his mark on all of us. It will be a long time before we look at his large gold chair and not imagine him lounging in it.

Many, many animals pass through our shelter and make lasting impressions on staff and volunteers, but one that we will think of for years to come is Brutus, the Ragdoll cat.

A Flood of Homeless Kittens

2008-04-28T13:19:00.000-07:00

It starts as a trickle and quickly becomes a flood. Homeless kittens, that is, come flooding into animal shelters every spring, and it doesn’t stop until fall. At the Arlington animal shelter the trickle has begun. We have 26 unweaned kittens in six different volunteer foster homes already. We receive kittens from many sources: owners who haven’t neutered their cats and many, many stray kittens rescued by good Samaritans. Some come in with a mother cat, but most do not. Some can’t eat solid food yet and must be bottle fed. Some have never experienced human contact and must be handled and socialized. Most of these tiny kittens would not survive without the special care (sometimes round the clock) of foster caretakers.

Once these kittens are eight weeks old and weigh at least two pounds, their foster parents bring them back to the shelter for adoption. All of them are spayed or neutered before going to their forever homes so that they do not perpetuate the cycle of increasing numbers of homeless cats.

Our foster caretakers have room in their hearts and in their homes for defenseless creatures that need their care to survive. Although they may have a hard time letting go of their “babies” when it’s time for adoption, foster parents love to see their kittens going to loving, permanent homes.

And we can't forget the adult cats in our shelter. Some of which have been waiting for months for the right person to give them love and security in a permanent home. In the summer when there are many adorable kittens for adoptions, these adult cats are often overlooked. They need homes just as much as the kittens do.

Finding a Friend

2008-04-07T11:33:00.000-07:00

We are all romantics at the shelter. We love to see people fall in love (especially with animals). It makes our hearts glad and we get a warm feeling all over when someone walks into our shelter and makes a connection with one of our animals. We love to see happy people adopt a new best friend.

What’s really nice is hearing from people after their adoption(s). We often get letters like the one from OC girl that show how besotted with love people are with their new animal companion. Our staff and volunteers work hard to help visitors find the right companion, and success stories like this one make our day!

German Shepherd Rescued

2008-03-31T07:19:00.000-07:00

One of our current shelter residents is Nicky, a young German shepherd mix that has had quite an eventful life so far. He started coming in to our shelter in 2006 when he was only a puppy. He kept running loose and being brought in as a stray. We returned him to his owner four times before the owner decided that he couldn’t take care of Nicky and decided to surrender the dog to us to find him a new home. That was in November 2007. That same month one of our volunteer visiting veterinarians examined Nicky and found problems with both his knee caps.

The malady is called LUXATING PATELLA. The patella is the knee cap which glides up and down when the knee joint is bent and protects the knee joint. It also guides the action of the quadriceps muscle in the lower leg. A normal dog knee will have two bony ridges that form a fairly deep groove in which the patella is supposed to slide up and down. If this groove is shallow,
either because of malformation or trauma, the knee cap will jump out of the groove and move sideways instead of up and down.

When the patella luxates from the groove of the femur, it usually cannot return to its normal position until the quadriceps (muscle in lower leg) relaxes and increases in length. This explains why the affected dog may be forced to hold his leg up for a few minutes or so after the initial incident. While the muscles are contracted and the patella is luxated from its correct position, the joint is held in the flexed or bent position. The dog will feel pain caused by the knee cap sliding across the bony ridges of the femur. Once out of position, the animal feels no discomfort and continues his activity.

If not corrected, the groove will become even shallower and the dog will become progressively lamer. Arthritis will prematurely affect the joint, causing a permanently swollen knee with poor mobility. Surgerymay be required and is the treatment of choice, but is not necessary in every dog with this condition.

A grade 2 luxating patella, which is what Nicky had, means there is frequent patellar luxation, which, in some cases, becomes more or less permanent. We kept him on medications for pain and inflammation.

Nicky had been available for adoption for since last November, but no adopter wanted to take on the expense of surgery. The League decided to use our Woody and Mickey Healthy Pet Fund to get the surgery that Nicky needed. We investigated several options and worked out a reasonable cost with the Washington Animal Rescue League Medical Center for the surgery.

On February 29 Nicky received his needed knee surgery. After surgery he spent a week of cage rest at Ballston Animal Hospital where he could be checked regularly by a veterinarian. Then he came back to the shelter. But he needed very special treatment for his recovery.

Nicky needs STRICT CONFINEMENT which means he must be kept in a crate for 30 days and ONLY taken out to eliminate. He is staying in a large dog crate in our Kennel Manager’s office. Assigned staff and volunteers walk him directly outside for bathroom trips and bring him immediately inside once he is done. At first they used a sling under his tummy to help keep weight off his leg.

Nicky had his sutures removed on March 14. After suture removal, we began passive physical therapy including limb flexation and extension for one minute 3-4 times a day.

After the 30 day strict confinement, Nicky will need an additional four weeks of confinement with low impact, non-acrobatic activity and slow progressive leash walks to build muscle and stamina.

Through his entire ordeal Nicky has remained happy, friendly, and eager to please. Our biggest problem at first was keeping him still when he saw anyone that he recognized. He would wag his tail and try to stand up if he saw one of his favorite volunteers. He tolerates the physical therapy without complaint.

I am happy to report that he is now available for adoption again. He is still in his crate in an office, and we will escort interested applicants to meet him there. We hope someone will respond to his sweet personality and take him home to complete his recovery. He’ll make a wonderful companion.

Lost and Found

2008-03-20T07:42:00.000-07:00

One of our daily routines at the League is trying to match lost and found pet reports. We not only try to find the owners of strays that are brought in to the shelter, we also take lost and found reports from the public by phone at 703-931-9241 and on our Web site .

A distraught cat owner called the shelter on January 16, 2008, to report that her cat had gotten lost the day before. She described him as an orange tabby with a white chest and said he was predominantly an outdoor cat. He was following the owner on a walk when he was distracted by a bird or other small animal at the intersection of North 14th Street and George Mason Drive. The caller also mentioned that her cat was not wearing a collar but was microchipped and had a crooked tail. She also sent in a digital photo that was attached to her lost report.

A few hours later a young woman called to report that she had found a male cat the previous day and had kept it in her house. Several elements in the two reports were strikingly similar: the color of the cat, the location lost, and especially the description of a crooked tail. We put both parties in contact, and the happy owner reclaimed her cat.

Later we received the following note from the cat owner:

Dear Animal Welfare League,
My family and I would like to thank you for helping us to locate our sweet cat, Jake, on January 16. We reported him lost and that same day a responsible local teenager contacted you that she had found [a cat]. Needless to say, we had a very happy 6 year old son to welcome Jake home.

What helped resolve this situation so quickly was the prompt and precise information gathered from both callers. If you lose or find a pet, please call the League (or the appropriate animal control office in your jurisdiction) as soon as possible and be specific about the animal’s distinctive features. We also recommend keeping cats indoors with collars and identification tags for their own health and safety.

Spay Day in Arlington

2008-02-27T13:07:00.000-08:00

Today some of our staff arrived at 6:00am to check-in low-income clients who had registered their pets for low-cost neutering surgery through our Spay Day USA program. To do our share of the national Spay Day USA program run by the Humane Society of the United States, the League offered spays and neuters for cats and dogs for only $25. We also offered a microchip and registration for free for these pets.

We are subsidizing the costs not covered by the $25 fee from our Hantke Memorial Spay-Neuter Fund. We use this fund to offer low-cost neutering all year round.

This morning people showed up with 15 cats and eight dogs for surgery. They signed permission forms, paid $25 for each pet, and loaded them into crates in our transport van. Two League staffers drove the pets to the National Capital Area Spay Neuter Center. The Washington Humane Society and their partners created the center to provide low-cost surgeries for cats and dogs in the metro area.

Another staffer will drive downtown to pick up the animals this evening. The owners will retrieve their pets from the League in Arlington tonight. We will give them post-operative instructions for the care of their pets along with pain medication needed for three days.

On Friday we will repeat the entire process for 25 more pets of low-to-moderate-income people. This effort means that almost 50 cats and dogs in our community will NOT contribute to the pet overpopulation problem. They will NOT create litters upon litters that may end up homeless. They WILL be more likely to remain in their homes because they will not have the behavior or medical problems that can occur with unneutered pets.

We think Spay Day is a win-win situation for our community: the pets and the people.

After a Year, Paula Finds a Home

2008-02-22T10:37:00.000-08:00

Shelter staff got the following message from CarolAnne, a faithful cat-room volunteer:

I’m sure most of you have heard that Paula, the cat, FINALLY got adopted on February 16 (one week short of being at the League for one year!). I worked with her adopter, Clair, and I can tell you, it is a wonderful adoption! Clair came in to see me several times and spent time with a few cats, including Paula, but she decided Paula was the cat for her. She has a 13 year old male cat, who lost his sibling in November. We discussed personalities and introductions and Clair thought Paula would fit right in. She really “gets” Paula and thinks her personality is great. I really felt Clair was the right person for Paula, too.

Well, it is working out beautifully! She actually introduced them the first night [we don't recommend this], after confining Paula and deciding both cats wanted to meet each other. They went nose-to-nose, sniffed each other and went on their ways. Clair came in to see me on Monday and said Paula (who she calls “Wild Woman”, not because of her personality, but because she is so very playful and entertaining) is just loving her new home. She’s inspected every room and she loves all the windows and watching the birds and squirrels (which was a favorite past-time of hers at the shelter). When she left to come over to the shelter, Clair said both cats were sleeping on the same bed within three feet of each other. And this was after Paula was home less than 48 hours!! There have been no problems whatsoever. It just goes to show you, that if we wait long enough (and it was sooo long), the purr-fect person will come in.

I can’t tell you how thrilled I was to see her, not only go home, but to the RIGHT home.

Meaningful Ways to Celebrate Milestones in Your Life

2008-02-22T10:08:00.000-08:00

Two friends of animals recently found creative ways to celebrate important occasions in their lives and benefit homeless animals by raising funds for the League.

Kevin Marsh used our personal giving page to honor his friend Nan Tucker’s retirement. You can create a page to memoriolize a beloved person or pet, or to celebrate a birthday, wedding anniversary, or any special occasion. Kevin filled out an easy form and then e-mailed notices to Nan’s co-workers and clients asking them to send her a message and make a donation to the League in her honor. To date the celebration has raised $1,100 for animal welfare!

Erin and Chris

Another person who cares for animals combined fundraising with her love of bringing people together for celebrations. Erin Mumma has a long history of volunteering and donating to worthy causes. For several years she hosted large birthday parties for herself and then realized that she could bring friends and family together to celebrate and support something more than just her birthday. So she started hosting charity fundraising parties.

Her first fundraiser benefited the American Red Cross – Arlington Chapter, and she raised $1,000! Shortly after that she met her boyfriend Chris, who, amazingly, has the exact same birthday as Erin. They hosted the next year’s party together and raised funds for Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation.

For their party in January 2008, they chose the League as their cause. Being the proud owners of a rescue dog in Arlington, they wanted to benefit all the animals in our community. They raised more than $1,200 this year for the League!

Erin says that hosting these parties is a great way to get all of your close friends and family together for a good cause. Each year she finds a venue that will rent some space for a set bar price. She works out a deal with the venue to have a drink special/deal, and everyone pays a cover charge that goes toward the charity donation. They place posters, newsletters, and brochures from the charitable cause all around the bar for people to peruse. They also raffle off door prizes: some are donated items from the honorary charity such as tee shirts, water bottles, etc. While the bulk of the donations are made at the party, they also get a number of donations by mail from those that can’t attend.

What fantastic ways to have fun, celebrate special occasions, and help animals!

Working together for animal rescue

2008-02-20T09:15:00.000-08:00

We just had a success story of two groups working together for animal rescue. Odin is a three-year-old Doberman Pinscher whose owner brought him to us at the end of December 2007 because he was moving and could not take Odin with him. We assessed Odin medically and behaviorally, vaccinated him, and had him neutered. He was made available for adoption with the recommendation that he would be best suited to adopters who are fit and experienced, in a household with no young children or cats. He appeared on our Web site, Petfinder.com, PetHarbor.com, 1-800-Save-a-Pet.com, and on our Adopt-a-Pet program on Arlington Cable TV. In five weeks he got three adoption applications, but no one completed their application. In one case, the applicant’s apartment complex did not allow Dobermans.

During his stay at our shelter, DARE (Doberman Assistance, Rescue & Education) contacted our Adoptions Manager about Odin. DARE began looking for a foster home while we continued to accept adoption applications. By February 18, Odin still had no pending applications, so we transferred him to his new foster parent through DARE.

While the great majority of our dogs are adopted directly from the League, we actively seek rescue partners for dogs that prove difficult to place. We require rescue groups to complete a questionnaire and to sign a memorandum of understanding with us. We take our responsibility for the animals in our care very seriously and work with rescue partners that are well run and have high standards of animal care.

Odin’s story is a great example of how shelters and rescue groups can work together cooperatively for the best outcome for the animals in our care.

Ferret Bathtime

2008-02-14T13:11:00.000-08:00

It’s ferret bathing time at the shelter. A woman brought in a pure white ferret that she found in a pile of newspapers near a dumpster. Ferrets don’t normally need bathing more than once a month, but since this one was found in a trash heap he needed a good cleaning. After bathing him our staff put him in a basket of towels. He burrowed in the towels for several minutes until he was almost dry.

This little guy, whom we named Bumper, is a young adult. We don’t know if he escaped from his home or if someone left him in the trash. So far no owner has claimed him and he’s now available for adoption. Ferrets are great pets for the right person. They are lively, curious, and funny, but like any companion animal they require your time, energy, and commitment.

In another part of the shelter, we have a visiting chicken. He was nabbed behind a community center when one of our animal control officer went out on a call about three roaming chickens. The other two were nowhere to be found, but this one was trapped in a bush. He has been enjoying fresh water, food, and a comfortable box with hay to rest in. Since no one has claimed him, we will try to find a sanctuary where he can enjoy "the simple life."

Humane Apartment Pet Policies

2008-02-08T08:21:00.000-08:00

We received a wonderful e-mail today demonstrating that education and advocacy can effect change.

I recently e-mailed AWLA about my problems with my apartment complex requiring cats to be declawed. I am happy to inform you that this afternoon I received a call from [a decision maker]… who took my concerns to a weekly meeting where she successfully advocated for the elimination of the declawing requirement!
Thank you for your previous reply and your support.

We salute this apartment complex management for making their pet policy more humane. Most humane organizations including the ASPCA, American Humane Association, and the Humane Society of the United States oppose declawing as painful and unnecessary. We try to educate people about other ways to deal with scratching, including behavior modification. If a potential adopter is intent on having a declawed cat, we direct him or her to cats that were already declawed when they came to us.

It breaks our hearts when people bring in their pets to the shelter because of their apartment or condominium restrictions. Also, people are sometimes prevented from adopting an animal because of restrictive and often illogical pet policies. The ASPCA has a model pet policy for apartments that is both humane and responsible. Anyone who is dissatisfied with their apartment’s pet policy could use this as a tool to educate managers about reasonable rules.

Our Community's Generosity

2008-01-25T08:58:00.000-08:00

We are reminded on a daily basis how many people in our community support the mission of promoting animal welfare. Last week a wonderful group of girl scouts brought us pet beds that they had sewn by hand for our shelter animals. They got the idea from the Snuggles Project. When they delivered these wonderful gifts, one of our shelter residents, Bella the collie, posed with the girls for a group photo.

Another enterprising animal lover created hand-made holiday cards, sold them, and donated part of the sales to the League. One of our volunteers gratefully accepted the check.

People bring us items from our wishlist almost every day. Cat carriers and dog crates in particular can be used to transport our animals each week for spay or neuter surgery or we can sell the used crates to raise money. Without the kindness and generosity of our community, we could not do nearly as much for our shelter residents.

After Losing Their Owner, Pets Find Shelter

2008-01-23T08:23:00.000-08:00

Although our primary goal is adoption, we also shelter animals that are not available for adoption for a variety of reasons. Our safekeeping program provides free sheltering for pets whose owners are experiencing an emergency like a house fire or a health crisis. One recent situation was particularly touching and had a very happy ending.

We received a call from the Arlington Police in late December to pick up a dog and a cat from a home where they had found the owner deceased. One of our Animal Control Officers picked up the pets and brought them to the shelter for safekeeping.

Because the deceased had no will, it took the family some time to get the legal authorization to pick up the pets. (This is a reminder to each of us to make sure that we have a will and that we include our wishes for the care of our pets in it.) We knew the pets would be spending at least a couple of weeks at the shelter. We were concerned about the emotional well being particularly of Rose, a sweet Basset Hound, so we asked one of our kennel volunteers to be her special caregiver. The volunteer took her for long walks and spent extra time with her. At the end of the pets’ stay, the volunteer wrote a report on Rose’s behavior and temperament while she was with us.

While Rose stayed with us, we noticed a health problem and sent a urine sample to a veterinarian who determined that she had a urinary tract infection. We treated her with antibiotics.

A couple of weeks ago the next-of-kin picked up the two pets from us. We received the following e-mail from her:

Just wanted to send thanks again to everyone who helped take care of Rose & Portia after my sister […]’s death, until I was able to come and straighten out their legal situation and pick them up. …

I can’t tell you how happy and thankful [we] were, when we came to pick R & P up last Monday, to see in what good spirits they both were. Alice B [the Animal Control Officer] had already assured me that they were receiving lots of care and attention, but I still thought that they might be depressed or disoriented by all they went through, and then being in a strange place & circumstances. Instead, Rose was dancing around on the leash, obviously very at ease with the guy who brought her out to us, and Portia, though less demonstrative, is clearly doing well too. We also appreciate your attentiveness to Rose that made it possible for you to find out about her urinary tract infection, and start her on medication for it.

[My sister] would be so grateful, too, for all your help and care –

New Year, New Blog

2008-01-18T12:38:00.000-08:00

It's a start of the new year at the Animal Welfare League of Arlington, and we're starting a new blog about shelter life. There is so much that goes on here that goes beyond intake of animals and adoptions. We will use this space to report on the daily activities that constitute fulfilling our mission of promoting animal welfare.

Right now we have an adorable litter of six kittens that we are holding while their foster mother was out of town. She is picking them up tonight so that they can continue to thrive and get big enough to be adopted.

Another cat is living temporarily in our adoption manager's office because he has some health issues that haven't completely cleared up. He is making himself thoroughly at home and giving our shelter mascot cat Brutus serious competition in the congeniality department.

Rocky, a goofy Labrador-Sharpei mix is recovering from having most of his tail amputated. He is such a happy guy that he whacked his tail against things so much that he severely damaged it, and the vet recommended removing the whacking part. Rocky is recovering beautifully and still wags his very short tail just as much as he did before. He is eight years old and large so maybe that's why no visitors have noticed his charming personality.

Our Education Room is being decorated for a child's birthday party. The five-to-eight-year-old party guests will a tour of the shelter. Sometimes the birthday child asks for gifts for the shelter animals instead of for him or herself.

In winter the number of animals coming into the shelter usually decreases, and our kennel staff gets a much deserved breather from working nonstop to care for over 200 animals each day. In particular, the number of cats coming into the shelter is less in the winter as cats reproduce primarily in the late spring and summer. Instead of having over 100 cats as we do in the summer, today we have 53. In winter older cats have a better chance of catching visitors' attention because our cat room isn't as full of cute kittens.

If anyone thinks that living in urban/suburban Arlington means they won't encounter wildlife, that theory was disproved today when a neighbor e-mailed us a photo of a hawk gripping a pigeon that it had just killed on their back fence.