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 offer free rabies vaccinations, nail trims, behavioral advice and more to Alexandria’s pets in need of these services. It also gave us a chance to meet their owners, learn more about their concerns and find out how the AWLA can support them and their pets throughout their lifetimes.
Upon our arrival, we found that a small line had already formed at the Ruby Tucker Family Center. These dedicated pet owners told us they wanted to beat the rush and make sure their pets got the chance to meet the volunteer veterinary staff from VCA Alexandria and Old Town Animal Hospitals. Though the event was scheduled to begin at 10:00 a.m., by 9:30 a.m. there were so many dog and cat companions ready to go that we started early to accommodate the eager arrivals.
The Ruby Tucker Family Center was an ideal place to host this event; not only was the courtyard area a perfect location to accommodate our tents and provide shade to keep our furry friends cool, but additionally, the area around the center had been identified as one most in need of our support, based on animal surrenders to the shelter and calls to Animal Services. It also meant that local residents could walk their pets to the event, some stepping just outside their doors to reach us.
Dogs and cats of all shapes and sizes met one-on-one with our veterinary volunteers to receive free rabies vaccines and tags and then had the opportunity to stop by our behavior and care station, where they could ask our behavioral expert questions about their pets and receive training advice, including the best way to help pets feel comfortable while having their nails trimmed at home (hint: treats are involved!).
Post-pedicure, our four-legged guests and their owners picked up complimentary food and sniffed through an array of toys to take home. Canine attendees also received harnesses, collars and leashes to proudly display their rabies tag.
After administering 79 free rabies vaccines, meeting 90 new furry friends and caring for 300+ paws, the Pet Care Fair was a howling success. We thank everyone involved in making this event happen, including the staffs of VCA Alexandria and Old Town Animal Hospitals, the Ruby Tucker Family Center and our many volunteers who set up and helped at the event.
We continue to look for ways to connect with Alexandria’s Animals and their human best friends through outreach and events like our Pet Care Fair, as well as our Animeals programs for the pets of senior citizens; Crisis Care for Alexandria pet owners in need; A Plan for Pets to help residents take their pets into account when planning for the future; spay and neuter voucher program for low-income citizens; and our Speaker Series events to teach attendees more about animal welfare in their homes and their community. Check out our website for more information about these programs, and we will share more about future Pet Care Fairs across the city as these events are scheduled.