!""# Annual Report
by Jean Crawford$ President$ Board of Directors
inside this issue …The Year In Review %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% &Fulfilling Our Mission %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% 'Bunnies &"& %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% 'Animal Control Goes Wireless %% (Katrina Rescue Update %%%%%%%%%%%%%%)Fundraising Highlights %%%%%%%%%%%% &"Financials %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% &"Donor Spotlight %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% &&Donors %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%&&Rabies & Microchip Clinics %%%%%% &!
Fall !""#Volume #! Number *
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Our annual report details how manydomestic animals and wildlife theLeague has received in the past year.These show an increase in the numberof animals coming into the shelter andin the number of successful outcomesin every category over the previousyear. And the coming year promiseseven more progress: Since July, the League has beenopen both Saturday and Sunday,erasing the last vestige that there isany “day of rest,” least of all for busyanimal lovers in northern Virginia.The Arlington County Board and thePeterson Family Trust provided thefunds to make Sunday hours possible.(History trivia: Virginia’s “blue laws,”first adopted in Jamestown in 1610,were changed in 1974 to allow retailstores, except liquor stores, to stayopen on Sunday. Until the 1970’s, theLeague was not open on weekendsand closed at 5pm most weekdays –how life has changed!) Spaying and neutering every dog,puppy, cat, and kitten before they goto a new home is now a reality withthe help of the Washington Humane
Society’s Spay-Neuter Clinic of whichwe are a major sponsor. Starting this past January the Leaguehas been microchipping all cats anddogs adopted from us and offeringlow-cost microchipping for thepublic’s companion animals at ourrabies clinics – increasing the chancesthat more strays will be reunited withtheir owners for years to come. Our network of “rescue groups” towhich we release difficult to adoptanimals is increasing. Our dog train-ing, with the able assistance of Woofs!Dog Training Center, to alleviate“rambunctious personality disorder” iscontinuing. Medical treatment fundedby the Woody and Mickey Healthy PetFund is expanding to alleviate acuteconditions, such as a kitten with aninjured leg or a beagle with glaucoma,and to make more animals ready foradoption. What the numbers don’t tell is thestory about each one of the animalsthat comes to us, both domestic andwildlife – this is a truly wonderfuldimension of our work at the League:the 18-year-old, beloved cat who we
The Year In Review
2
Pawpourri Fall 2006
reunited with its owner after he hadbeen missing for two months; thekitten stuck in the engine of a motor-cycle which was freed by our AnimalControl Officer and the cycle ownerafter two hours of tinkering andnudging, and was subsequentlyadopted by the cyclist after the kittenwas socialized in a foster home;ducklings and more ducklings – everyspring – crossing roads, residing inswimming pools, fountains, puddles,and water sheds – they warm thecockles of everyone’s hearts, evenhardened commuters and public safetyofficers, and challenge the agility andingenuity of our animal controlofficers to safeguard them in theirtreks across busy streets and high-ways; 16 Katrina dogs, puppies, andcats were fostered and then adoptedafter being brought back from the Gulfby two of our staff. There are so many wonderfulstories – some on our Web site: go tohttp://www.awla.org and click onAnimal Watch to read a compendiumof stories from our Animal ControlOfficers. For our dedicated staff andvolunteers, the joy of adoptions andreuniting lost pets with ownersoutweighs the sadness of caring foranimals that can’t be adopted due toserious health or behavior problems,or in the case of critters, due to lack ofadopter interest. In addition to the domestic animalshandled by the League, we deal withthousands of wildlife cases: fromcounseling county residents andbusinesses on how to get visitingwildlife out of their homes, offices,and trash cans to picking up, treating,and transporting injured and orphaned
wildlife to licensed wildliferehabilitators. Hundreds of children in Arlingtonparticipate in the League’s educationalprograms and summer animal camps.We also provide humane educationprograms at senior centers and beforeother community groups. Our specialevents like the Biggest-Ever “Walk forthe Animals” in May and this year’sCatsablanca are fun community eventsthat raise significant funds for theLeague’s educational, community, andanimal welfare programs In the near future we hope to startwork on a new annex at the League –a facility in which we can house andevaluate dogs arriving at the shelterprior to placing them for adoption.This will increase the number of dogruns available for adoptable dogs.More importantly, an annex willenable us to isolate dangerous or sickdogs from the others and preventquarantines that can shut down ourentire dog adoption program for weeksat a time. The Board of the Animal WelfareLeague of Arlington appreciates thesupport and participation of theArlington County Board, county staff,our dedicated volunteers, and ex-tended community represented by allthose who receive and respond to thisquarterly newsletter and to ourfundraising appeals. And we eachtruly appreciate working for such aprogressive and responsible organiza-tion with an incredible staff. But mostof all it’s the animals and their peoplewho make our involvement with theLeague a joy for each of us. I urge youto join us by adopting a pet, volunteer-ing, or making a donation.
Emergencies in ArlingtonWe respond to animal emergencies 24hours a day.
AdoptionsWe always have animals who need goodhomes. If you live in Alexandria, Arling-ton, D.C., Fairfax County or FallsChurch, call us about adopting acompanion.
Animal Control & Cruelty InvestigationAnimal control officers pick up stray dogsand respond to citizen complaints aboutanimals in Arlington.
Community ServicesThe League sponsors community servicesthat help people and animals. Call(703) 931-9241, ext. 200, for information.
Lost & FoundCall us to report all lost and foundanimals. We can help find animals’owners and return lost pets home again.
Wildlife Rescue & ProblemsWe’ll help get injured or abandoned wild-life to a licensed rehabilitator wheneverpossible. We’ll also help you discouragewildlife from moving into your home.
Rabies ControlSee the calendar on the back cover fordates and times.
Speakers & Humane EducationIf your neighborhood is having animalproblems or problems with irresponsibleanimal owners, you might want a Leaguerepresentative to address your civicassociation. We also present educationalprograms on many topics to schools andclubs. Call (703) 931-9241, ext. 213.
Pawpourri, the newsletter of the AnimalWelfare League of Arlington, 2650 S.Arlington Mill Dr., Arlington, VA 22206,http://www.awla.org, is published quar-terly and mailed to League supporters. Ifyou receive multiple copies, pleasenotify us and pass them along to friends.
A COPY OF THE LATEST FINANCIALREPORT AND REGISTRATION FILEDBY THE ANIMAL WELFARELEAGUE OF ARLINGTON MAY BEOBTAINED BY CONTACTING theState Division of Consumer Affairs, De-partment of Agriculture and ConsumerServices, P.O. Box 1163, Richmond, VA23209. REGISTRATION DOES NOTIMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL,OR RECOMMENDATION BY THESTATE.
League Services
Simon Day of GivingHave fun shopping and support the League!
Come to the Fashion Centre at Pentagon City
on Sunday, November 19, 2006, for exclusive
discounts, door prizes, food, and entertain-
ment. Tickets are $10.00 each and can be
purchased at the League. The League will
receive $7.00 of each ticket purchased.
Fall 2006 Pawpourri
Since 1944, the Animal Welfare League of Arlington has been committed to the humane treatment of ani-
mals and to the promotion of animal welfare. The League continues to...
The Animal Welfare League ofArlington provides shelter for anyanimal that is brought to us regardlessof breed, age, health, or behavior. There is no waiting list to surrenderany animal. There is no deadline for ananimal to stay at the shelter. In the pastyear we have not euthanized any dogor cat because of lack of space oradoption interest. Some pets stay forseveral months before the right personfinds them. Some pets are brought in
...provide temporary care and refuge forhomeless and suffering animals...
3
2005 2006
DOGS
Total Intake 887 897DOA* 34 39OREU** 87 94Live Intake 766 764Adopted 226 295RTO*** 362 323Transferred 0 9Euthanized 153 141
Positive Outcome Rate****
77% 82%
CATS
Total Intake 1375 1555DOA* 101 110OREU** 85 103Live Intake 1189 1342Adopted 554 754RTO*** 68 77Transferred 0 15Euthanized 450 506
Positive Outcome Rate****
52% 63%
CRITTERS
Total Intake 316 549DOA* 26 35OREU** 11 43Live Intake 279 471Adopted 81 124RTO*** 5 8Transferred 0 37Euthanized 148 284
Positive Outcome Rate****
31% 36%
*Picked up dead
**Owner-requested
euthaniasia
***Reunited with owner
****This is the percentage
of live animals (not taken in
dead or as owner request
euthanasia) that had a
positive outcome such as
adoption, return to owner,
or transfer to a rescue
group or shelter.
The positive outcome rate
across all the animal
shelter facilites in the
Commonwealth of Virginia
in calendar year 2005 was
62% for dogs, 41% for
cats, and 61% for
critters.
WILDLIFE
Found DOA 574Died 75Euthanized 301Rehabbed or Released 534Total 1484
Animals Sheltered in Fiscal
Years 2005 and 2006
Join us on Sunday
afternoon, Oct. 22, from
2:00-4:00 pm, for an
afternoon of rabbit talk! If
you are thinking of
adopting a bunny, have
recently added one to your
family, or just want to learn more about them,
this program will answer your questions. Learn
about rabbit behavior, care, housing, and
medical concerns. Bring pictures of your rabbits
to share and meet some of our shelter bunnies.
Presented by Pam Hurley of the House Rabbit
Sanctuary. RSVP [email protected] or (703)
931-9241 x213.
Bunnies 101
with serious health or behaviorproblems. Some of these problemscan be solved or at least improvedand some cannot. We do our best tobalance the welfare of the animalsand the welfare of potentialadopters and the community.Although we cannot place everyanimal in a new home, we havebeen increasing the number ofanimals adopted for the past fewyears.
Fulfilling Our Mission
4
Pawpourri Fall 2006
Fulfilling Our Misson Continued
...place animals inloving, responsible homes...
We take very seriously ourresponsibility to place animals inloving, responsible homes. Throughon-line pet descriptions, direct animal-adoptive family meetings, adoptioncounseling, rental policy confirmation,and adoption follow-up, we try tomake sure that each placement is forthe animal’s lifetime. We found newhomes for more than 1,100 pets (a36% increase over the number adoptedlast fiscal year).
Crate Training Part of this success may be based onseveral new programs to increase theadoptability of animals. One is ourCrate Training Program. Crating a dogcan help in housetraining and in theadjustment to the new home. We oftenencourage our adopters to crate theirnew dog, however, if the dog hasnever seen or been in a crate beforethey may not respond positively. So,in order to make the transition into thenew home less stressful for both thedog and the adopter, we begin thecrate training here in the shelter. Wehope that this training will make an
easier transition into the new homeand as a result reduce the likelihoodthat the dog will be returned.
Head Start We also continue to work with thetrainers at Woofs! Dog TrainingCenter in our “Head Start” Program.Many of the dogs that we have in theshelter are young and untrained and donot present themselves well topotential adopters. Not only does thisprogram enrich the dogs’ experience inthe shelter by getting them out of thekennels more for interaction,socialization, and training, but ourstaff gets to know the dogs better andcan provide more insight to potentialadopters.
Post-Adoption Support We also provide post-adoptionsupport. We follow up with adoptersonce the animal is in the home andanswer questions on behavior andtraining. We also provide advice andinformation to all pet owners in ourcommunity through our BehaviorHelpline. The public can contact us
via phone or email to ask questionsregarding the behavior and/or trainingof their own pets. If you have aquestion for our adoptions staff, youcan call (703)931-9241x260 or [email protected] for our BehaviorHelpline.
Bonded Pairs Another iniative that we started thispast year is the Bonded Pair Program. We sometimes have animals that aresurrendered in pairs; these pets mayhave been together for years. When wesee a strong bond between twoanimals, we consider them a bondedpair. When a pair of animals stronglyrelies on each other and would behealthier and happier living together,we will require that the pair beadopted together. We offer adiscounted adoption fee for the pairand have successfully placed pairs ofcats, birds, ferrets, dogs, and rabbits.
Visibility We are always looking for newavenues to promote the adoption ofavailable animals. Our own Web sitewww.awla.org which postsphotographs and descriptions of allour pets for adoption is probably ourbiggest source of potential adopters.We also post pictures with a localveterinarian (Caring Hands AnimalHospital) and in branches of Arlingtonlibraries, in the Arlington Connectionand DC Examiner newspapers, onwww.Petfinder.com, and at all eventsthat we attend. We have participatedin events by Charles E. SmithCommercial Realty, the Capital PrideFestival, as well as televisionappearances.
Release to Rescue Our adoption staff continues toexpand our Release to RescueProgram. From cross-posting animalsthat are available for adoption onpartner Web sites, to breed or species-specific information sharing, toreleasing animals to another groupwhen kennel space becomes tight,there are many ways that we can workwith local groups to educate pet
Dan & Dave, a bonded pair, adopted in July 2006.
37 animals. Starting this year,this fund will also help the Leagueperform blood tests for our olderanimals to give us more informationabout their health status. We look forward to anothersuccessful year of adoptions and thecontinued success of our currentprograms. We will continue to lookfor ways to enrich the lives of theanimals here in the shelter and to offerservices to the public and adopters tostrengthen the human-animal bond.
Fall 2006 Pawpourri
owners and share resources to promotethe welfare of animals. We will workto expand our group of rescue partnersbeyond those already established.
Healthy Pet Fund Another way that we make moreanimals appropriate for adoption isthrough increased medical care. In2003, Julie Gould and Percy Ivy
...provide animal control servicesto Arlington County...
started the Woody and MickeyHealthy Pet Fund to supplement theLeague’s growing veterinary careexpenses. The fund benefits shelteranimals by providing emergencymedical care for stray animals andmedical treatments, such as dentalcleaning and orthopedic surgery, tomake animals more likely to beadopted. In FY2006 the fund helped
Animal Control officers respondedto more than 5,000 requests forassistance during fiscal year 2006,including checking local parks for off-leash dogs, assisting the police andfire department, catching dogs running
at large, administeringquarantines of pets, pickingup animal carcasses, andinvestigating county and stateanimal code violations. The League hosts eightlow-cost rabies clinics for thepublic each year and inJanuary we added low-costmicrochipping. Anyone canattend these clinics, and noreservations are required. Infiscal 2006, with the help ofDr. Juan Castro of BanfieldSeven Corners and Dr. Jerry
Goldfarb of Fairfax Animal Hospital,we vaccinated 749 pets against therabies virus and implanted 198 petswith permanent microchipidentification.
Animal Control Goes Wireless
By Kay Speerstra, Executive Director The League understands the role that technology plays in moving an organization forward. In the last few
years we have increased our technical capabilities in many ways and now we are taking another step. In the next
few months all the League’s Animal Control vehicles will have wireless laptop computers. This new technol-
ogy will give us a more efficient way to communicate with the officers in the field.
Our officers spend much of their day out in Arlington County responding to requests for help from
residents. Some calls involve wildlife and others involve companion animals in crisis. By having wireless
access, the staff and volunteers back at the League can update current calls and add new calls with all the details
for the officers to pick up at the click of a mouse. For years we have communicated with the officers via radio
or cell phone. We will still have that capability, of course, but having wireless access will allow officers to
research any history on cases, close out calls, and add notes about the call and any follow up that will be neces-
sary. They can then see the next call and be on their way. Wireless access will make our officers even more
efficient in responding to residents’ requests and aiding animals in crisis.
5
Animal Control Highlights
Dogs running at large 460
Pick up confined strays 263
Barking complaints 134
Bite investigations 113
Park patrols 1,198
Wildlife complaints 1,124
Assist police and fire 183
Investigate neglect 107
Pawpourri Fall 2006
6 Fulfilling Our Misson Continued
....educate the public andprovide a wide variety of community services...
Humane Education In addition to the humane educationprovided in this newsletter, on ourWeb site at www.awla.org, and in ourpresence at numerous public events,including the Arlington County Fair,Super Pet Expo, and the Capital PrideFestival, the League offers educationprograms in schools, communitycenters, and at the shelter. This year, the League has workedwith the Arlington Career Center andHolton-Arms School to place studentinterns in the shelter and with animalcontrol. The League has also workedclosely with Ms. Garmus and Ms.Spencer of Gunston Middle School’sAnimal Club, whose purpose is tohelp students develop empathy for andunderstanding of animals, especiallythose who live with and around us. Through the League’s HumaneEducation Program for the 2006 FiscalYear, League staff led 21 tours of theshelter and presented 42 humaneeducation lessons to a total of 1,217children and 187 adults.
Volunteer Programs The League utilizes volunteers fornearly every aspect of shelter
operations. For theFiscal Year 2006,the Leaguewelcomed andtrained 91 newvolunteers. Thispast year Leaguevolunteers gaveapproximately12,300 hours, theequivalent of sixfull-time staff!
Fostering Leaguevolunteers fosteranimals that are tooyoung or that maynot be socializedenough for
adoption. Volunteers take theseanimals into their homes until they areready for adoption. For the Fiscalyear 2006, League volunteers spent2,901 hours in fostering 111 kittens,10 puppies, and seven adult cats! Expenses for the fostering program,including food, supplies, andveterinary care for this year were justunder $5,000.
Hantke Memorial
Spay/Neuter Fund This program provides no-cost andlow-cost neutering to low- andmoderate-income pet owners. Thisyear the program provided freeneutering for 25 pets. We alsoprovided low-cost neutering for 43pets through our long-termcollaboration with Dr. Jerry Goldfarbat Fairfax Animal Hospital. We subsidized spay/neuter surgeriesfor 15 cats at our Spay Day event inFebruary with Dr. Brown of CapitalCat Clinic, Dr. Tasi of Kingstowne CatClinic, and Dr. Newman of CaringHands Animal Hospital. Caring HandsAnimal Hospital also covered the costof 10 dog neuters throughout March. The total number of animals
neutered was 93 and expenses totaledapproximately $6,000.
Senior Pet Adoptions Seventy-three people aged 60 andolder adopted new companions at nofee through the support of the Leagueand the Purina Pets for PeopleProgram. Even though these adopterspaid no fee, they still receivedcertificates for free initial veterinaryexams for their pets and for reducedcost spay/neuter surgery, if needed.
Veterinary Assistance The League provided no-interestloans for emergency veterinary carefor 17 clients for a total of almost$3000 in medical costs. One clientwas a student whose cat beganthrowing up a strange substance. Shehad already spent more than $200 ontreatment that did not resolve theproblem. The League provided herwith a no-interest loan for treatment atFairfax Animal Hospital. The hospitaldetermined that the cat had swallowedstring, which had wrapped around itsintestines. The animal hospitalperformed surgery to remove thestring, and the cat is now doing fine.This client has almost completedrepaying her loan so that other petowners in need can benefit from thisprogram.
Safekeeping The League provided temporary,emergency care for 44 companionanimals of people who foundthemselves in crisis this past year.Some of the reasons for safekeepingcan be a house fire, owner death, or anowner’s unexpected illness. One catwas brought to the League forsafekeeping after her owner washospitalized. The cat’s owner laterdied, but the League cared for the catuntil the owner’s family arranged totransport her to Maine, where she wastaken in by a family member.
Fall 2006 Pawpourri
7Katrina Rescue Updates Jake is All Grown Up
Back in February 2006, we adopteda black and white Katrina puppy, thenknown as Clint and now known asJake. When we first met Jake, he wasonly nine weeks old and weighed alittle more than seven pounds. He wasjet black with white patches on hischest and chin, had short legs, a verycurly tail, a button-size nose, and smallfloppy ears. His daily activitiesconsisted of eating, house-training,sleeping on his owners’ laps, gettingback rubs, and playing with fun chewtoys. He wasn’t very crazy abouttaking walks around the neighborhood,taking car rides, or going potty in thecold spring rain. He preferred sleepingin his warm and cozy crate. Or, whenhe was awake, he enjoyed eating,playing chase or tug, and destroyingstuffed toys! Today, Jake is a little taller andlonger and weighs more than 40pounds. He still has the same curly tail,but his button-size nose is a bit biggeras are his melt-your-heart eyes. Butthere’s something even more notice-able in Jake these days. It’s his ears!Gone are the small, floppy ears thatused to hang on the sides of his tinypuppy head. These days we often hearpeople say: “Look at those ears!”Children often comment about Jakelooking like a bunny rabbit, evenasking their parents if “his ears stay upall the time like that?” And yes, theyare always up! And like a bunny rabbit,Jake’s favorite treat is carrots! Since his graduation from training/obedience school, he is more social-ized around other dogs and is more
adventurous. Jakealso learned newcommands andtricks from school.On command, henow knows how tosit, stay, settledown, touch, drop/leave objects, crawl,and even shake yourhands! He alsoloves car rides now,especially when thedestination is the
local dog park. Recently, he returnedfrom his first vacation in Maine toenjoy camping and visiting with familyand friends. Thank you to all our friends at theLeague for helping us adopt Jake. Weare so grateful to all of you forrescuing him and his siblings. We’re sohappy to provide Jake all the love andcare he deserves!
Arlene and Chip
“These days we often
hear people say:
‘Look at those ears!’”
Stop by the League to pick upStop by the League to pick upStop by the League to pick upStop by the League to pick upStop by the League to pick upour exclusive Pet!" water bowl%our exclusive Pet!" water bowl%our exclusive Pet!" water bowl%our exclusive Pet!" water bowl%our exclusive Pet!" water bowl%
• No spills • No spills • No spills • No spills • No spills • Instant hand held use • Instant hand held use • Instant hand held use • Instant hand held use • Instant hand held use • Clips on water bottles • Clips on water bottles • Clips on water bottles • Clips on water bottles • Clips on water bottles
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Portable Clip On Water BowlPortable Clip On Water BowlPortable Clip On Water BowlPortable Clip On Water BowlPortable Clip On Water BowlPortable Clip On Water BowlPortable Clip On Water BowlPortable Clip On Water BowlPortable Clip On Water BowlPortable Clip On Water Bowl
Left: Jake at two months. Right: Jake at seven months.
8
Pawpourri Fall 2006
Katrina Rescue Updates
We decided to adopt a puppy fromthe Animal Welfare League when ourdaughter turned 10 years old. A fewweeks prior to Grace’s birthday, I sawon the League Web site about an openhouse to spotlight pets that the Leaguerescued from the Gulf Region. Idecided to stop by to have a look. Thepuppies that were rescued from theGulf Region were the sweetest littlethings and quite friendly despite theirharrowing journey. I applied to adoptone cute and outgoing puppy. I filledout the paperwork and received somegreat advice and counseling from theLeague staff. Later, I brought in mydaughter and she agreed that the littlebrindle puppy needed a home and ourswould be just perfect for him. Maybeit was the way he rolled a tennis ballwith his nose? Or, ran up to her withhis wide eyes and little puppy paws?Who knows: we were enchanted! A few days later, we had our “homevisit” which was invaluable as webegan to make plans to ready our homeand life for our new addition. We werepleased with the adoption process,including making sure we understoodthe importance of veterinary care,identification tags, and a new micro-chip that will help us if our puppybecomes lost. On the day we went to the League to
pick up Bubba, we met Katie, one ofthe League staffers who had rescuedBubba and his littermates and otherpets. We were so impressed with herdedication to her work and hercommitment to rescue these animals.We learned about the puppies stayingin foster homes and the veterinary carethey received prior to adoption. Bubba held his name for a fewweeks until a friend of Grace’ssuggested Trevor. We all liked thename and decided that it suited ourpuppy perfectly. We got Trevor whenhe was six lbs and now he’s over 30.So much for a small dog! WhenTrevor first came home, he was a littleshy, but that quickly ended, too. Trevor’s intelligence and a consis-tent effort by everyone in the familyhas helped him learn all the basiccommands. Of course, treats help, andTrevor will do anything for food! Helikes to be petted, too, and just recentlyhe’s begun to lie down and look for abelly rub! Adopting a rescued pup has not beenwithout its struggle. Because Trevorwas underweight from a bacterialinfection, or maybe because of hisexperiences prior to rescue, he’s hadsome behavioral issues from thebeginning. For example, he was a littleshy and submissive at first, a little
fearful. So, on the advice of theLeague, we worked hard to provide apositive environment for him. We givehim positive reinforcement with treatsand other kinds of rewards, like a paton the head or a scratch behind theears. Since trying these things, hisconfidence has soared, and his fearshave lessened over time. We’ve had to enlist assistance fromthe League on some other behavioralissues related to being weaned tooearly. He can be extremely pushy,mouthy, and hard-charging. We haveworked with a trainer/animal behavior-ist to help Trevor overcome some ofthis negative behavior. One thingwe’ve learned also applies to families:there’s always a reason a puppy doeswhat he/she does. So, as responsiblepet owners, we’ve learned a lot aboutanimal behavior and cues that canindicate what the pet’s needs are at themoment. The League provided us with morethan a puppy to care for and love.They gave us tools that we useeveryday as we take care of Trevor.We have benefited tremendously fromthis good advice, great readingmaterials, phone calls, and follow ups.It’s also great to keep track of what’shappening with Trevor’s siblings. We love our puppy Trevor and lookforward to many years with ourtreasured new addition! Thanks to theLeague for rescuing his litter and somany other dogs, cats, birds, and otheranimals over the years and findinggood homes. We’re especially gratefulfor the heroic efforts that our area hasmade to make a difference in the GulfRegion.
Mary and Michael
“We’re especially
grateful for the
heroic efforts that
our area has made
to make a difference
in the Gulf Region.”
Trevor and Family
9
Fall 2006 Pawpourri
Atticus and His New Pal
“I really like my new home andwant to thank everyone at the AnimalWelfare League of Arlington whohelped make it possible. I’m healthynow after some nice doctors atCherrydale Vet Clinic treated me forrespiratory illnesses and worms. Nowthat I’m better, I put my endless energyto good use, playing with my best cat
buddy, Copernicus, who’s about as oldas me. We became best friends at firstsight. No kidding! I couldn’t imaginelife without him, and he’s an awesomewrestler just like me. “The new house is great, too,because I can dart up and down thecarpeted stairs, bat toys on the hard-wood floors, and wildly chase reflec-tions and shadows when the sunshines. I’ve found some great privatespots, including curling up on thepillows on the bed in the second floorguest room, from which I can look outonto the backyard down below at thegardens and watch the many birds atthe feeders and baths. I sometimes seethe squirrels and rabbits, as well. Theydrive me nuts! Because I’m now an
indoor cat, I can only chase them fromwindow to window. “My new caretakers think that I’mespecially cuddlesome. I’ve taken aparticular shining to one of them: Todd, with whom I snuggle almostevery morning in bed or crawl on hischest while he tries to read the newspa-per. Don’t worry, I also sometimes goover and give Tom a kiss on the heador nip at his fingers. “To sum it all up, I now have a homewith lots of love, great cat and humanpals, plenty to eat, and room to play. I’m happy and content, and can’timagine living anywhere else. Thanksagain to everyone at the AnimalWelfare League of Arlington whohelped to make my new life possible!”
Atticus
“I’m happy and content, and can’t
imagine living anywhere else.”
Tara and I adopted Alex,
one of the dogs rescued
from Mississippi, and his
name is now Buddy! He is
doing extremely well, and
loves to go with us on our
morning runs and play
frisbee in the backyard. He
has tested our patience, as
he likes to munch on
furniture when we are not
home, but he is a very
special part of our family
and we love him very much!
He has also gotten used to
his big (though smaller in
size) brother, Bailey the
Cat...as you can see from
the photo!
Ben and Tara
Buddy Settles in and Gets Cozy
10
Donations The Animal Welfare League ofArlington is grateful to all of oursupporters whose donationsenable us to provide essentialservices. Your support trulymeans a lot to the League and allthe animals that pass through ourdoors. In FY2006, the Leaguereceived $208,334.56 from over2,500 donors in response to ourappeals, the business replyenvelopes from Pawpourri, andunsolicited donations. The League would like to send aspecial thank you to everyone whohas donated items from our WishList. The League is in constant needof pillowcases, towels, and usedcrates. (To see more items on ourWish List, please visit our Web siteat www.awla.org/wishlist.shtml.)
Events Every year the League hosts twomajor fundraisers. In May theanimal-friendly Walk for the Animals
Fundraising Highlights
inspires walkers and donors alike tospread the good word about theLeague. This year we had 509 peopleregister to walk and raised over$70,000. In October 2005, more than130 supporters attended our SilentAuction at the Arlington Arts Center,raising $22,000.
Friendraisers Throughout the year, the Leagueparticipates in several events to helpraise money and awareness ofanimal welfare issues and League
services. Look for us at theArlington County Fair, Barnesand Noble Wrapping Days, andthe Super Pet Expo.
Combined Federal
Campaign We received $72,143 from theCombined Federal Campaign(CFC) and United Way dona-tions. As the 2006 campaignstarts, please consider designat-ing the Animal Welfare League
of Arlington (#8804) for yourcontribution.
Bequests Remembering the League in yourwill can turn your compassion foranimals into a legacy for the future.This year the League receivedbequests from nine generous indi-viduals totaling $81,583. If you areinterested in adding the League toyour will, please contact DanielleKouzoukas at [email protected] orat (703)931-9241 x220.
County Contract Operations FY2006
Under terms of a contract with Arlington County, theAnimal Welfare League of Arlington provides the County’s animal shelter and animal control services Support from Arlington Countyfor sheltering/animal control $867,073.00County Expenses:($1,103,307.19)Excess expenditure over revenue* ($236,234.19)* The League subsidizes this deficit with its own funds
League Operations FY 2006
League Revenue & Support**: $545,286.64League Expenses: ($508,174.88)League subsidy to County contract operations:($236,234.19)Total gain/(loss): ($199,122.43) ** In FY 2006, the League received $ 97,482.82 in the
form of bequests and grants from trusts which is not
included in this total. The League also received a pledge
of $250,000 from a bequest.
Finances for FY 2006 Revenue and Support FY 2006
Events (Fall Auction & Walk): $89,604.09 United Way: $72,143.22 Programs Revenue: $170,244.42 Contributions*: $208,334.56 Arlington County Appropriations: $867,073.00 TOTAL: $1,407,399.29 * Does not include $97,482.82 in bequests and grants.
Also does not include pledge of $250,000.
Expenses FY 2006
Animal Control: ($248,332.70) Community Outreach: ($303,541.20) Shelter Operations: ($854,974.49) Management/General/Fund Raising: ($204,633.68) TOTAL: ($1,611,482.07) Temporarily Restricted Funds FY 2006
Revenue Expense TotalWoody andMickeyHealthy Pet Fund $6,485.00 ($6,396.02) $88.98Hantke MemorialSpay/Neuter Fund $9,856.27 ($6,190.76) $3,665.51
TOTAL: $3,754.49
Pawpourri Fall 2006
If your name is not included in the above list and it should be, please contact the
Development Manager at (703) 931-9241 x220 or e-mail [email protected].
Thanks to Our Donors Thank you to the League supporters who donated
$200 or more between April 1, 2006 and July 1, 2006.
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James AinsworthAnonymousArlington Animal HospitalMary E. BaneEstate of Marilyn BartonHayden and Andrea BryanJody and Brian BucklerGeorge CabaluClifford CharlsonMeredith DearbornMadeleine DeLongKatherine A. DeyTerrance DoyleCynthia V. DunbarIrene C. Evans Charitable TrustGloria Farrelly TrustMs. Mara FriedlandHeidi FullerJospeh GalbraithEstate of Elizabeth Kneer GaleQuentin Gehle
Sandra GravesPeggy HaleClaire HallTanya HensJerry HoughJanet IrwinMs. Linda JasperGeorge and Audrey JepsonMs. Laura LagermanCharles MagyarNancy MarksJim McCowanJennifer McKinneyMitchell Petersen Family Foundation IncLouise MyersRita NaimoliCarolAnne NargiSiggy PalmerDiana and George PaschallM. Stephanie Patrick
Eric PetersenJake RazemArthur H. RoachMr. and Mrs. Roger RobertsMr. and Mrs. Michael RollinDavid RoseTammy RosenMarnie RussLyndon RustThomas RyderDavid SalisburyMs. Sue L. SchrammJudy SteeleMark StoverBob TetroMargaret TruntichEva TullyRyan TurpenoffSharon and Larry WeissWiley, Rein and Fielding, LLP
Judy Steele was the top individualfund raiser for the 2006 Walk for theAnimals raising $2,525 in support ofthe League and all the animals in ourcare. This is the story of her beloveddog Jack and how she becameinvolved with the League. My first introduction to the Leaguewas before Jack came into my life.I first learned about the League in1995 from a neighbor, Erin Powell,who volunteered at the League andserved on the first Walk committee. Iactually accompanied the volunteers
that laid out the route.I participated that yearwith my brother’s dog,Max, and we won the“owner/dog look-a-like” contest. So Istarted out a winner atthe first Walk. Then in the blizzardof 1996, my wonderfulcat, Pudder, had astroke. Three neigh-bors helped me drive
and push my car over to the Leaguein the blizzard. The League techni-cians were very kind in helping mewith my final responsibility toPudder—a humane euthanasia. Two years later I decided to get adog. I happened to see Jack at the StPatrick’s Day parade in Alexandriain March 1998. He had been foundabandoned in Alexandria. He hadonly one working eye so my brothernamed him One-Eyed Jack, andhistory was made. I fell in love withhim instantly and adopted him from
the Alexandria League. He has been mybeloved companion and Walk for theAnimals partner ever since. Three years ago I happened to be thethird highest donor at the Walk and thatgot my competitive juices going. Thisyear I knew it would be Jack’s last year todo the Walk because he is battling cancer,and I wanted him to go out as a champion.Also, the week before the walk, somefriends of mine had to put down theirDalmation, Drew Stroud-Sturgis, andLeague staff came to their house to helpthem. My friends were very grateful to theLeague, and that motivated me to give alarge personal donation. My support of the League (with Jack’shelp) has been very rewarding, and I wantto share some life lessons that Jack hastaught me: Enjoy the moment. Don’t forget tosmell the roses (before you pee on them!).It’s not about catching the squirrel, but thechase. Nothing refreshes you more than anice walk. If you are friendly to someone,they will probably be friendly to you.
Judy Steele
Donor Spotlight: Judy Steele
Fall 2006 Pawpourri
Jack by PawprintsPhotography.com
Visiting:Visiting:Visiting:Visiting:Visiting:
Noon – ):"" p%m% Monday
Closed Tuesday
Noon – ):"" p%m% Wed% , Fri%
Noon – *:"" p%m% Sat% , Sun%
Receiving Incoming Animals:Receiving Incoming Animals:Receiving Incoming Animals:Receiving Incoming Animals:Receiving Incoming Animals:
-:"" a%m% – &":'" p%m% daily
Emergencies:Emergencies:Emergencies:Emergencies:Emergencies: !* hours a day
Rabies & Microchipping Clinics
League Hours
The Animal Welfare League of Arlington2650 S. Arlington Mill DriveArlington, VA 22206
(703) 931-9241e-mail: [email protected] site: www.awla.org
Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage
PAIDPAIDPAIDPAIDPAIDArlington, VA
Permit No. 1109
Please bring dogs on leashes and cats and ferrets in carriers%
Rabies Shot: +&" Microchip: +!(Oct !# • Dec ) • Jan !( #:'" , -:'" p%m%
Editor & DesignerSusan Sherman & Jen McFarland
ContributorsJean Crawford$ Rebecca Gall$
Danielle Kouzoukas$Jennifer Newman$ Ronny Shafer$
Kay Speerstra$ Judy Steele
Board OfficersJean Crawford$ President
Debra Rose$ Vice PresidentToni Copeland$ SecretaryCarol Moylan$ Treasurer
Board MembersJennifer Barnes$ Ellen Brown$
Joanne DelToro$ Kristen Edma$Susan Retz$ Elisa Rosman$
Ryan Turpenoff$ Brenda Zurita
Pawpourri
The League is the first sheltering organization to partner with the WashingtonHumane Society (WHS) in launching an effort to significantly increase thevolume of affordable spay-neuter surgeries in the Washington metropolitanarea. The intent is to provide an average of 50 surgeries on both cats and dogsevery day, five days a week for shelter and publicly owned animals (that’s12,500 animals per year). The current clinic operated by WHS is not largeenough for this many surgeries. The League has made a financial contribu-tion to help develop a new facility with two surgical suites and has committedto pre-adoption sterilization for all dogs and cats. Once each week wetransport animals to the WHS clinic for sterilization. The League is proud toparticipate in an effort to solve the overwhelming problem of pet overpopula-tion and prevent thousands of animals from entering our region’s shelters.Please call (703) 931-9241 to learn more.
League Joins Spay,Neuter Iniative
CFC and Workplace donors…
The Combined Federal Campaign and the UnitedWay Campaign kick off in the fall. Pleaseremember the League in your workplace giving.Your generosity enables us to provide loving care tothousands of homeless animals, place animals intopermanent homes, and provide animal controlservices to protect the people and animals of ourcommunity. Your giving makes it possible.
Our CFC/UW designation number is 8804