Frequently Asked Questions
Select a question below for answers to our frequently asked questions.
- The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. We are contracted by the City of Alexandria to provide animal control and stray sheltering services within city limits from the city-owned Vola Lawson Animal Shelter. We also provide additional services outside of the City contract, including adoptions, veterinary care, behavioral support, community services and events.
- Our contract with the City of Alexandria provides funding for jurisdictional animal control and stray sheltering services, but the majority of our funding comes from donations from our generous community. In FY20, nearly half of our revenue came from donations and grants. Without this support from our community, we would not be able to go above and beyond to help animals in the city and across the region.
- We do not receive funding from national animal welfare organizations, including the ASPCA or the Humane Society of the United States.
- If you’d like to make a donation to help Alexandria’s Animals, you can learn more HERE.
- Yes, we are a no-kill shelter.That term can be a bit misleading, but a “no-kill shelter” is generally defined as one that finds placement for 90% or more of the animals in its care. The AWLA exceeds those standards, finding placement for more than 96% of the animals that come to us. We work hard to find appropriate placement for every animal that comes to us, but we believe that if an animal is suffering from an untreatable illness or injury, or if an animal can not safely live in the community, euthanasia may be the most humane option for that animal. However, we prefer not to use the term “no-kill” because we want to build positive, supportive and non-judgmental relationships with the shelters in our region. Because of our community’s support, we are privileged to have advantages that many shelters in the state do not, and we want to work with those shelters to help animals rather than creating barriers or placing limits on what they can do because of terminology. In doing so, we can not only help animals in the City of Alexandria but also assist shelters across the region.
- As an open access shelter, we will take in any non-wild animals who come from us within the City of Alexandria, regardless of breed, medical condition or behavioral history. In the past, the AWLA has cared for chinchillas, sugar gliders, snakes, turtles, chickens, pigs and even a domesticated duck. We help these animals find homes with members of our community or, if they require specialized care or housing, with experts who can provide that additional support.
- At the AWLA, our mission is to help not only animals in our facility but also throughout the city. We offer a variety of programs to provide support to pet owners and animal lovers, with the ultimate goal of helping cherished pets stay in the homes where they are loved. Read more about some of these programs:
- Animals stay at the AWLA for different amounts of time based on their health, their behavior, how long it takes them to connect with an adopter and countless other factors. The average amount of time any animal spends in our facility is approximately 13 days; some animals will be adopted more quickly, and some may take longer. We DO NOT set limits on the amount of time an animal can stay with us. As long as an animal needs a home while they are waiting to find their family, we will provide that, and during their stay, we provide them with food, a safe place to sleep, veterinary care, socialization, enrichment and so much more. While we want to help every animal ultimately find a home, we are grateful for the opportunity to provide them with safe and loving shelter until that happens.
- Absolutely. We can always use pet supplies, including (unopened) dry and canned food, kitty litter, toys, treats and more. If you have items that you would like to drop off, we have a donation cart outside our building entrance every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. We bring this cart inside regularly throughout the day to make sure nothing is sitting outside for too long, and we also bring it in in inclement weather. If you need a tax receipt for your donations, please call us at 703-746-4774.If you are looking to purchase goods to donate to us, you can find a list of items that are always in need at the AWLA HERE. Items on this list are pre-programmed to be delivered to the AWLA, or you can purchase them elsewhere and drop them off in our donation cart during the times listed above. Please note that we cannot use pillows, sheets/comforters, knit blankets, used litter boxes or cat trees/scratchers, sleeping bags, human clothing, styrofoam products, rugs/carpets, newspapers or plastic bags.
- Every AWLA staff member is certified in Fear Free animal care, a training program developed by Dr. Marty Becker. This means we make extra efforts to observe sheltering and handling practices that will make pets most comfortable, reduce stress and hopefully keep our animal residents safer and healthier during their stay with us. We also take additional measures during this time to make sure each animal is ready to move into a home environment. This may include veterinary care, behavioral evaluations and training, specialized diets or housing, daily socialization and enrichment and so much more. If you’d like to learn how we are helping animals feel healthy and secure at the AWLA, contact us.