People often think of cats and dogs when they think of the AWLA, so they can be surprised when they visit the shelter and meet a much wider variety of animals, including rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs, hamsters, birds, turtles, snakes, lizards and sometimes even fish! And those are just animals available for adoption. Our Animal Services officers also assist wild …
Finding Health and a Home, South of the Border
Pets who arrive at the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (AWLA) never know where their journey might take them. A 2-year-old, 57-pound boxer mix named Max lucked out and wound up south of the border — in Monterrey, Mexico! Max came to the AWLA shelter last November from Galax, Va., part of a relationship that brings animals from disadvantaged communities …
Free Rabies Vaccines and Pet Care for our Neighbors in Need
At the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (AWLA), we want to connect not only with the pets of Alexandria but also the citizens. That’s why we were excited for the opportunity to host our second in-community Pet Care Fair this past Saturday, May 5, in coordination with the Alexandria Redevelopment and Housing Authority and the Virginia Department of Health, to …
Thinking About Being a Foster?
The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria hopes to share a wide variety of viewpoints from all of our community through this blog, and today we are pleased to share a guest post written by one of our “Awesome Foster” caregivers, Jodi. One of the most personally rewarding decisions I’ve made was to become a volunteer at the AWLA (Animal Welfare League …
Getting to Know our Scalier Residents
As an open-access shelter, the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (AWLA) will take in any animals surrendered from within the jurisdiction, and those animals are not always cats and dogs. At any time, you might meet a variety of residents here at the shelter, from rabbits to guinea pigs, mice and birds, and a wide variety of reptiles. Our staff …
Are You Prepared for Spring?
Getting Ready for Spring Babies! Last Thursday, the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria hosted the second event in our brand new speaker series to help our community learn about the baby wildlife they might be seeing in their backyards this spring. AWLA Animal Services Officers Boyd and Doran spoke about the variety of wild animals that will be having …
Celebrate Pet Dental Health Month
Dental Problems Can Be a Silent Threat to Pets’ Health Zoo Zoo was a sweet 10-year-old Shih Tzu who found his way to the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (AWLA) last July. When he arrived, it was clear that he was in very poor condition. Not only was the 10-pound, gray-and-cream dog suffering from kidney disease but he also had …
Helping Alexandria’s Injured Animals
Animals come to the AWLA in a wide range of circumstances. Some of the animals who join us need special medical care: They may have been surrendered because their families could not afford that care; They become sick or injured as strays; We simply discover medical needs as part of a routine veterinary exam when they arrive. This is why …
“Help! There’s a raccoon in my yard!”: Resolving Conflicts with Raccoons
Raccoons can be a delight to behold, with their bandit masks, tiny hands, and striped tails – but living with raccoon populations can also cause conflict. Raccoons have no idea that they are not welcome to make our attics into their dens, or that the food we left outside was for the neighborhood cat and not for them, or that …