Since the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria started its virtual adoption process at the beginning of April, we have seen hundreds of animals find families to call their own. By going virtual, we are still able to find families for homeless animals while keeping staff and adopters at a safe physical distance, from virtual meet-and-greets over Zoom to the curbside …
Picture This: Your ‘Working-From-Home’ Pet
Shelter’s Annual Calendar Contest Launches June 1 It’s been an unforgettable year for Abby, a six-year-old cattle dog/coonhound mix adopted in 2014 from the AWLA. First, Abby was named Alexandria’s 2020 Animal of the Year after earning the most votes of all pets entered in the shelter’s annual photo calendar contest. Then, she and her family moved to Lexington, Ky., …
Stories From Our Super Seniors
At the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria, cats and dogs who are over the age of 8 years old are designated as seniors, meaning they receive special veterinary screenings to monitor their health as they progress through their later years. While an 8-year-old cat or dog is likely just as playful and active as their 4- or 5-year-old counterpart, some …
Enrichment Toy Round-up: Never a Dull Moment for Your Pet
Between walks, naps and meals, how do our pets spend their time? Mental enrichment is an essential part of every pet’s day, helping alleviate boredom to keep our best friends happy and healthy. Just like people who seek new activities and experiences to add novelty to our day-to-day routine, pets enjoy learning new things and working their brain, especially when …
Training Your Dog During Unprecedented Times
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted nearly every aspect of our day-to-day lives, and that is true for our pets as well. Pets may see their family more often than they’re used to or during different times of day, but when the day comes that it is safe to return to old schedules and routines, your pet will likely need more …
Celebrating a Friend
It is with the heaviest of hearts that we share today that the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria has had to say good-bye to our most famous resident, our Artist-in-Residence, and, most of all, our friend Rico. Those of you who follow the AWLA online or in-person may know that Rico came to us in September of 2018. His giant …
Helping Animals in Need at a Social Distance: AWLA Fosters
This past month brought unprecedented changes at the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria, requiring us to adjust nearly every day for the safety of our staff, our community and our animals. When we made the difficult decision to pause adoptions last week, our community stepped up for animals in need, sending a flood of inquiries about fostering animals, and thanks …
Irish Spirit for People and Pups
The annual Fun Dog Show hosted by the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria and the Ballyshaners was full of Irish Spirit and smiles for people and pups on Saturday, March 7. Contestants and audience members gathered on Old Town’s Market Square to see who had the winning looks to walk off the stage as top dogs of the day. Dogs …
Emergency Preparedness…for Your Pets!
With the potential threat of COVID-19 across the United States, now is a good time to revisit your emergency planning, not just for your human family but also for your pets. Emergency plans can make a difference in a variety of crises, whether they are health-related, a natural disaster or even personal. Make sure you have planned ahead for your …
Shelter Staff Jumping Through Hoops to Keep Animals Entertained
Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (AWLA) volunteer Sandy Garlick sat on the floor of a cat enclosure holding a metal stick with a little red ball at the end. A long-haired, gray and white cat named Nicky, normally a bit skittish around people, reached a paw up to touch the ball, prompting Garlick to press on a clicking device and …