Washington Humane Society Blog

Safe & Sound in Washington, DC

By: Tara deNicolas, WHS Director of Marketing and Communications (photo below of Tara)

  On Monday the dogs rescued from the TN puppy mill arrived to the Washington Humane Society (WHS). (Photo below of  WHS's President and CEO, Lisa LaFontaine unloading the dogs from the WHS mobile vehicle)

As the only open-access shelter in Washington, DC we take in an average of 33 animals a day; there is always a constant need and urgency on the front lines of animal welfare in Washington, DC, and as a member of the greater humane community, we felt that we must step up to help and do everything we can to assist these dogs rescued from the puppy mill.  

So, on Monday afternoon after a long journey from TN, twenty of the dogs rescued from the puppy mill arrived to our shelter in need of immediate grooming, medical care and love.

The WHS staff and incredible team of volunteers pulled together to create a seamless process for evaluating each dog, assigning them an ID number, accessing their condition, and then tending to their most immediate needs.

On Tuesday morning I decided to head on over to the shelter to meet these new dogs rescued from the puppy mill. I work up the street at our administrative offices, and do not get to visit the shelter as often as I wish I could.

The second I walked in the door I had goose bumps; to see so many staff and volunteers working hand-in-hand to feed, groom and care for these dogs as well as all of the other animals in our care, was a sight to behold. It is a beautiful thing to watch people coming together with the common love for animals, and at WHS it is something that happens everyday, yet tends to go unnoticed in such a fast paced environment .
(Photo below of a WHS volunteer grooming one of the dogs rescued from the puppy mill)

I made my way down the hall to the area where all of the puppy mill dogs were now staying, I knew what to expect, since months earlier I had adopted a Jack Russell Terrier who was rescued from a puppy mill. I rounded the corner and there they were, twenty sets of terrified eyes; little souls who all their lives had been forced to live in tiny cages, in inhumane conditions. They never knew what love was, what green grass felt like on their paws, the comfort of a warm bed and the fun of a squeaky toy, instead all they knew were the harsh cold bars that kept them locked inside of a cramped cage.

I walked around visiting with each dog; some were more willing to trust a stranger and made eye contact, some even wagged their tails, but most retreated to the back of their kennels and hid until I walked away. There was one very scared tiny mini dachshund that somehow stole my heart the second I saw her. She sat in the far corner of her kennel, trying to hide under her dog bed, she would look up at me to see if I was looking at her, then immediately divert her eyes and hide again.

I decided I had better get back to my office and get some work done, but for the remainder of that day, her sweet little face kept popping into my head. Finally, at around 5:00 p.m. that evening it hit me... I decided that I should be her foster mom until she met her forever family. So, I headed back down to the shelter and picked her up.

Since I already have two dogs at home, bringing home a third dog may be a bit overwhelming, but somehow my two dogs, Dubi and Tinsley seemed to understand that our new little foster dog (we named her Ruby) had been through some very traumatic life experiences and I was in awe of how kind, patient and adoring they were to her. (Photo below of foster dog Ruby after she smelled her first flower in my yard)

Well, it turns out our little Ruby is now the first of our twenty puppy mill dogs to find her forever home, and tonight she went home with her adopters for good. While I was very sad to see her go, it was a tremendous feeling to know that I had helped her.  In the few days she stayed with me I introduced her to love, affection, the outdoors, play time, cuddle time, and what turned out to be her most favorite, sleeping in my bed under the covers!

There are so many ways to support and help WHS. I encourage you to volunteer in our shelters, at our adoption events and/or as a foster parent, it will warm your heart and touch your soul.

Please keep an eye on this blog, as we will keep you posted here with how the dogs rescued from the TN puppy mill are doing, as well as all of the other wonderful animals in our care.

We would like to thank The Dog Shop, Pretty Pets and Doggie Style Bakery and Spa for stepping in to assist us with the grooming needs for many of these dogs. We truly appreciate your generosity and support.

WHS to Shelter Dogs Seized from TN Puppy Mill

By: Tara

On Friday the Washington Humane Society (WHS) received an urgent call asking for our help in caring for some of the nearly 700 dogs who were rescued recently from an inhumane dog breeding operation uncovered in Tennessee.

As the only open-access shelter in Washington, DC where no animal is ever turned away, we bear a heavy responsibility to the people and animals of the District. On a typical day, we take in an average of thirty three animals. As we fulfill this commitment, we also bear a responsibility to the greater national sheltering community. WHS wanted to make room for as many dogs as possible from the puppy mill and today will be taking in fifteen to twenty of the dogs rescued from the puppy mill to our private shelter on 7319 Georgia Avenue, NW.

Our dedicated staff, volunteers and medical team are working now to prepare the shelters and line up foster homes. We will be ready to care for these dogs who have been through so much in their lives, and thanks to donations made to WHS’s special Sophie’s Fund, we are prepared to attend to any special medical needs these dogs may have as soon as they arrive.

In addition to stepping forward to care for these dogs, we will offer our WHS National Capital Area Spay & Neuter Center for 2 free days of spay/neuter surgery to any of the dogs rescued from the puppy mill that are being cared for by various rescue groups in the Washington, DC metro region. Because the drastic pet overpopulation problem is the root cause of animal abandonment, neglect, and suffering, WHS makes every effort to ensure that as many dogs and cats as possible are spayed and neutered. The WHS National Capital Area Spay & Neuter Center – the only one in DC, serves animals being adopted, returned to owners, and animals belonging to members of the public.

If you, too, would like to help, please click here to make a donation, or consider becoming a foster parent. WHS will also be holding an open Foster Parent Orientation on Wednesday, July 2nd at 7:00 p.m. at our 1201 New York Avenue location. Please contact our Foster Care and Rescue Coordinator, Kate Zapf, at 202-723-5730 (ext. 149) or kzapf@washhumane.org for more information.

Thank you so much for your support — we couldn't fulfill our mission without you!

Lost Dog "Tails" with the Associated Press

By: Tara deNicolas, WHS Director of Marketing and Communications (photo below of Tara)

 As many of you have read over the past couple of months, WHS staffer's Michelle, Tiffany and I have all experienced the panic of a runaway pet. First, it was Michelle, whose 2 dog's accidentally escaped when her roommate left the back door open, then it was my turn when the friend I left my little dog Tinsley (who I adopted in February from WHS) with for the day accidentally let her out his back gate, and then it was Tiffany, who returned home after WHS's Bark Ball to find out that her dog, Sadie, ran away after being frightened by an approaching thunderstorm. Well, something good has come from those heart breaking experiences and the Associated Press has written an article that features both Michelle and I on the best ways to find a lost dog. We hope that our experiences can help to educate others on what to do if they too find themselves in a similar situation.  CLICK HERE to read the article by the Associated Press!  

In all 3 cases we immediately turned to spreading the word through this blog, e-mails, list serves, and social networking sites in hopes that someone would find our lost dogs and know we were desperately searching for them. (photo below of Tinsley)

Each time we have posted about our lost dogs, the response and support from readers has been incredible. Just hours after I posted that Tinsley was lost, while I was out hanging lost dog fliers, I ran into two readers who saw the post and immediately jumped in to help search. Of course, I burst into tears when I saw them; it was so touching to see that the human/animal bond transcends all lines between stranger and friend, and how willing people are to drop everything they are doing on a Saturday afternoon to help reunite a lost dog and owner. I have to thank those very kind individuals for helping me in my search, as it reminded me of the good in people, and encouraged me to go on looking for Tinsley. In the final hours of our search, my family drove up from Charlottesville, Virginia to help look as well, and what I realized is key in searching for a lost pet is gathering friends and family to help you look, not only for the extra help, but also for moral support. Also, you must post as many fliers as you can right away and no matter what, do not give up hope, or the search.

The only reason we were finally able to find Tinsley was because people started to spot her and then saw the fliers I had posted and began calling to tell me where they had seen her last. Finally, we were able to pinpoint the area she was in, and then there she was, terrified and hiding in a garage behind 2 trash cans. A friend in my search party had walked past the garage and caught a glimmer of an eye looking at him from behind the cans. She was so scared and traumatized by that point that the only person who could get near her was me. Since she was a dog that WHS had rescued from a neglectful puppy mill, before I adopted her in February, she is just now starting to learn that she can trust people. But, when she was alone on the streets she immediately reverted back to a feral dog state-of-mind and literally ran for her life every time she saw a person approaching. It took her a few seconds to realize it was indeed me walking the in garage to pick her up, but when she did, it was one very joyous reunion.

WHS offers $35 microchipping to the public. If your pets are not microchipped, I highly recommend that you do so. While Tinsley was lost it comforted me to know that if her collar were to come off, her microchip could always bring her back to me. You are welcome to visit either of our two shelters or National Capital Area Spay & Neuter Center for this quick and painless procedure to safeguard your pet.

WHS on Hot 99.5 Radio

By: Tara deNicolas, WHS Director of Marketing and Communications 

In case you missed WHS on Hot 99.5 radio Friday morning (June 20th) you can CLICK HERE to listen now! We would like to give a very heartfelt thank you to Hot 99.5's Samy K, Kane and Sarah for letting our adoptable dogs take over their studio Friday morning and for having us on the show. (Photos below of our morning on the radio. Photo 1, snapped by Eleanor Blackford while I talked WHS on the radio. Photo 2, morning hosts Samy K and Sarah and photo 3, WHS's Adoption Manager, Diana Foley with adoptable dog, Lil Sis in the studio)

Take Your Dog to Work Day!

By: Tara

Tomorrow (June 20th) is national Take your Dog to Work Day, and in honor of this special day, Hot 99.5 will be having us on the morning radio show with dogs available for adoption! You may remember our friend, morning show host, Samy K, when he made his debut on the Fashion for Paws runway with his dog Splash this past April. Be sure to tune in to Hot 99.5 between 7:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. tomorrow morning on your way to work!

 

Fashion for Paws '08 Video is Here!

By: Tara

It's here! The Fashion for Paws video compliments of Garrett Moore of DCcompass.com and hosted by Pamela Sorensen of pamelaspunch.com. Enjoy! Please CLICK HERE to watch the video! Thank you so much Garrett for donating your time and talent! (Photo below of video host, Pamela Sorensen on the runway in Fashion for Paws)

Bark Ball Program Video

By: Tara

As promised in my post yesterday, the video created by Doug Zimmerman of TravelinMan Productions for our Bark Ball program is now up on YouTube. Please CLICK HERE to watch the video. Thank you and thank you Doug for donating your time and services to WHS! (Photo below of WHS Humane Law Enforcement team at Bark Ball, Chief Programs Officer, Scott Giacoppo, Officer Jennifer Gardner and Officer Eve Russell)

WHS to Host Fourth Grade Students on an Animal Sanctuary Field Trip

By: Tara

Tomorrow WHS's Humane Education Program will take twenty-five fourth graders from Hendley Elementary School in Southeast Washington, DC on a field trip to Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary, a 400 acre non-profit refuge for farm animals and wildlife.

The students in Mr. Kenneth Robinson’s fourth grade class have been working with WHS’s Humane Education Program Manager, Shakela Brown, over the course of the school year. The WHS Humane Education program is an enriching curriculum teaching students more than just animal care basics. Young people in the program also learn about issues affecting their everyday lives. They are taught about bullying, violence in their community, violence against people and violence against animals. Most importantly, they are empowered to speak up for themselves and for animals rather than just accept the role of the passive observers.

“One of the goals of the program is to teach children to make compassionate and responsible decisions. I have been working with Mr. Robinson for 3 years; he’s a wonderful teacher that not only teaches his class math and history lessons, but also life lessons, pushing his students to strive for excellence.  It is a great opportunity to take these students out of a neighborhood riddled with violence and into a new and stimulating learning environment,” said Shakela Brown.

The students will arrive with WHS’s Shakela Brown to Poplar Springs Animal Sanctuary at 10:30 a.m. They will be given an overview on the work of the sanctuary and how the animals came to Poplar Springs. Then, the students will be led on a tour of the sanctuary where they will see, touch and feed pigs, cows, chickens, goats and horses. 

It's that time of year... the Bark Ball is Almost Here!

By: Tara

Mark your calendars; in just about one month (June 7th) the Washington Humane Society will celebrate its 21st Annual Bark Ball! In its 21st year, we assure you this Bark Ball will be one of the very best yet! This year, NBC News Chief White House Correspondent, David Gregory will be our Event Chair, and Mary Matalin and James Carville will be the honorary Chairs.

In keeping with a Decision 2008 theme, dogs attending the event (usually about 400 dogs in black-tie wag their tails in the ballroom at the Renaissance Hotel) will participate in Washington, DC's first ever Canine Primary, hosted by Capitol Dog Bakery!

You may not know this, but the Bark Ball is how I first became involved with the Washington Humane Society (WHS). At the time I was working for Washington Life Magazine, and had wanted to volunteer my public relations skills to a leading non-profit open-access animal welfare organization. I did my research and WHS caught my attention. So, I asked if I could help and be on the Bark Ball planning committee. Then, one thing led to another and I was asked to come on board full-time in October of 2006, and now here I am today!

The Bark Ball is an incredibly unique event, and the only one of its kind in Washington, DC where guests dressed in black-tie attire can bring their four-legged companion as their date. Something that I think is so very special about this event is its ability to bring people together; no matter who you are or where you come from, when your dog decides he/she wants to drag you over to meet the dressed up Great Dane in the corner, you instantly become friends with the owner of that dog. The human/animal bond transcends all boundaries and walls we build up around ourselves, and this type of interaction allows us to get to the substance of a person very quickly! So, to say the least, this is not your typical Washington, DC black-tie affair!

I remember last year watching our Event Chairs, Mary Matalin and James Carville make their way through the ballroom with their 5 dogs in hand, and seeing them connect with fellow guests on such an authentic level as their dogs sniffed and mingled with others. After attending so many different events in this town, it is so refreshing that this is one where people really can get to know each other and have fun while doing it. Most importantly, it is one of WHS's largest fundraisers and supports our programs and all of the thousands of animals we rehabilitate and care for each year! (photo below of WHS Board Chairman Jay Timmons, WHS President and CEO Lisa LaFontaine, Mary Matalin and James Carville)

So, before we sell out of tables and tickets, click here to purchase yours! It is a night you don't want to miss!

I would like to thank our generous Bark Ball sponsors: EJF CAPITAL, AMERICAN AIRLINES, COMCAST, NELSON B. DELAVAN FOUNDATION, WEIR FOUNDATION, HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MANUFACTURERS, LARRY AND ANISSA GROSSMAN, SAP AMERICA, US STEEL CORPORATION AND TERRY STRAUB, JAY TIMMONS, ERNST AND YOUNG LLP, AON CORPORATION, DOUG ZIMMERMAN.

BARK BALL GOURMET DOG TREATS WILL BE PROVIDED BY: DOGGIE STYLE BAKERY! (FYI, Doggie Style just re-opened their fancy all natural pet spa, so be sure to stop in and check it out. Call 202-667-0595 to make an appointment)

If you are interested in becoming a 2008 Bark Ball Sponsor, please click here! 

I hope to see you on June 7th!

Tinsley is found!

Tinsley was finally found at about 7pm this evening. She'd been hiding in a dark garage and is a little bit scratched up - but she's ok! Tara would like to send her thanks to everyone who was out looking for her - it means the world to know so many people care.

A collective sigh of relief was heard across the city!