Meet Gorgeous Kiyoshi, a Beautiful Akita: Available for Adoption This Saturday at the ‘Clear the Shelter’ Event - Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League

Washington, DC – Take a look at Kiyoshi, she is a gorgeous!  She is a two-year-old Akita. She was brought in by a Good Samaritan who had noticed her hanging around his friend's home. Nice, huh? While the adoption center might not be her favorite place right now, this friendly girl lucked out in her timing. 

Visit our ‘Clear the Shelters’ event on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., all adoption fees will be waived! Find her at our New York Avenue Adoption Center and adopt her before she's gone! #ClearTheShelters

Animal ID: 32130484 
Species: Dog 
Age: 2 years 11 days 
Sex: Female 
Color: Tan/Black 
Declawed: No 
Site: Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League 

Kiyoshi is not a jumper, great on-leash walker, ignores dogs who bark at her, and just wants to lean into petting and show you love!

To learn more about Kiyoshi, click HERE.

While her adoption fees have been waived, please know that regular adoption standards do apply.  Please consider reading: Steps to Adopt

Come meet Kiyoshi, and other animals available for adoption this Saturday, July 23rd at our New York Avenue Adoption Center

District of Columbia Animal Care and Control 
(New York Avenue Adoption Center - WHS is contracted by the Department of Health to operate this facility)
1201 New York Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20002
202-576-6664

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Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League: 63 Cats and Kittens Surrendered in DC Hoarding Case

Washington, DC -  Washington Humane Society -Washington Animal Rescue League   Animal Control and Humane Law Enforcement Officers have removed 63 cats and kittens from a home in Northwest Washington following a case of hoarding and inhumane treatment of animals.  The animals belonged to two women who had been living illegally in the residence.

On Tuesday evening, July 19, WHS-WARL Officers reported to the 800 block Decatur Avenue, NW after being contacted by the realtor for the home.  Officers arrived to find 63 cats on the property.  Of those 63 cats, 27 are kittens under one month old.

Upon entering the house, officers observed deplorable conditions inside, with feces located throughout the house both inside and outside of litter boxes.   There were between 20 -25 cats located inside the home.  Further investigation revealed a U-Haul van in the rear of the building containing approximately 20 adult cats and more than 30 kittens of various ages.  Many of the cats and kittens are suffering from Upper Respiratory Infections, are underweight, and were overheated due to confinement in the U-Haul trailer.

“This is an extreme case of hoarding and inhumane treatment of animals,” said Lisa LaFontaine, President and CEO of WHS-WARL.  “These cats and kittens, most of whom are in very vulnerable condition, will require medical care, proper nutrition and humane living conditions – all of which they have been denied until the moment they entered our care. With an intake of 63 cats and kittens over a 24 hour period, WHS-WARL’s ability to house these animals and provide them with the resources they need will be taxed.  Thankfully, we expect to adopt more than 150 animals on Saturday at a special adoptions event which should allow us to give these cats and kittens undivided attention and space for recovery.”

Officers removed 38 cats and kittens on Tuesday evening and returned to the property Wednesday to remove the remaining animals.  The cats and kittens were immediately taken to the Animal Care facility at New York Avenue where they will be evaluated by WHS-WARL medical staff.

This WHS-WARL Humane Law Enforcement case remains under investigation.

The special adoption event referred to is Clear the Shelters, an annual national program that offers fee-waived adoptions to qualified adopters on Saturday, July 23 from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.  Both WHS-WARL Adoption Centers (71 Oglethorpe Street, NW and 1201 New York Avenue, NE) will be open for this program.

UPDATE ON THIS CASE:

WHS-WARL Officers recovered 44 cats and kittens from the home.  The residents of the home took approximately 20 cats when they left the address overnight.

About Washington Animal Rescue League /Washington Humane Society (WARL-WHS)
The Washington Humane Society -Washington Animal Rescue League combined organization cares for more than 60,000 animals annually. The broad range of programs offered include: rescue and adoption, humane law enforcement, low-cost veterinary services, animal care & control, behavior and training, spay-neuter services, humane education, and many others.  Operating four animal-care facilities in Washington, D.C., the organization occupies a significant footprint in the District, and serves as a resource to current pet guardians and prospective adopters across the region.

The Pet Tree House will keep you updated on their availability for adoption.

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Did You Know that Animal Shelters Have Other Animals Available for Adoption Besides Dogs and Cats?

Did you know that animal shelters have other animals available for adoption besides dogs and cats? They have small furry animals including gerbils, guinea pigs, rabbits, snakes, birds…and yes, fish.

If you are looking to adopt a pet, but can not have a dog or cat, check out the other small animals available at your local animal shelters. This Saturday, July 23rd, marks the 2nd Annual ‘Clear the Shelters’ event, and would be a good time to adopt since all fees are waived. 

The Washington Humane Society/Washington Animal Rescue League have several small animals/reptiles available for adoption. Please take a look at them below. Please take time to read their: Steps to Adopt


Available at the Washington Animal Rescue League (WARL)
71 Oglethorpe St NW
Washington, DC
(202) 726-2556
Hours: 12:00PM - 7:00PM

Biff - Rabbit

To learn more about Biff, click HERE

Pluto - Rabbit

To learn more about Pluto, click HERE.

Charizard - Lizard

To learn more about Charizard, click HERE.

Jay Z -  Small and furry

To learn more about JayZ, click HERE.

Butch  - Small and furry

To learn more about Butch, click HERE.



















Available at the Washington Humane Society (WHS)
1201 New York Ave NE
Washington, DC
202-576-6664 or 202-726-2556
12:00PM - 7:00PM

Chiliarch - Rabbit

To learn more about Chiliarch, click HERE.

Neon NopeRope  - Reptile

To learn more about Neon NopeRope, click HERE.

Romeo – Reptile

To learn more about Romeo, click HERE.

Juliet – Reptile

To learn more about Juliet, click HERE.

Julius – Reptile

To learn more about Julius, click HERE.

Rascal – Small and furry

To learn more about Rascal, click HERE.

Ritchie – Reptile unknown   
No picture

To learn more about Ritchie, click HERE.

Bucky – Rabbit 
No picture

To learn more about Bucky, click HERE.

















IN FOSTER HOMES

Hop Scotch - Rabbit

To learn more about Hop Scotch, click HERE.

Fluffykins - Rabbit

To learn more about Fluffykins, click HERE.

Flake – Reptile

To learn more about Flake, click HERE.

Bert  - Reptile

To learn more about Bert, click HERE.




















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Did You See WHS-WARL’s CEO and President, Lisa LaFontaine Speaking About ‘Clear the Shelters’, and Introducing Rhino, An Adorable Dog Looking for His Forever Home on NBC4 Washington?

WHS-WARL CEO and President, Lisa LaFontaine was on NBC Washington speaking about Clear the Shelters and the impact of a pet. She introduced Rhino, a dog from the Washington Humane Society/Washington Animal Rescue League looking for his forever home.

Washington Humane Society/Washington Animal Rescue League, as well as shelters and rescues all over our region, will waive most adoption fees for our NBC4’s #‎ClearTheShelters effort! Come down to this event on Saturday, July 23rd, If you have room in your heart and your home for a new sweetie ... like Rhino!

Take a look at the video here: 
https://www.facebook.com/WashHumane/videos/10154459252179916/

Rhino is available for adoption at WHS-WARL Oglethorpe location, 71 Oglethorpe St NW, Washington, DC 20011 

For more information on this event visit: NBC4 Washington, Clear the Shelters 


Meet Adorable Rhino:

Animal ID: 32043250 
Species: Dog 
Age: 1 year 18 days 
Sex: Male 
Color:Tan 
Declawed: No 
Site: Oglethorpe Street 


How could you say "No" to this face?! I'm Rhino, a year old Shar-Pei mix. I'm as friendly as can be, super wiggly, and happy to play with other dogs. I can be a little pushy towards my dog friends if they don't want to play with me, so if I go to a new home with other dogs, I'll need one that can put up with me! I'm hoping that I'll get adopted quickly by the right family so we can play together! Come down to visit me, please!

To learn more about Rhino, click HERE.

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FBI Crisis Response Canines Help Victims Cope With Tragedy

After the mass terrorist shooting in San Bernardino, California, the FBI’s Victim Assistance Rapid Deployment Team was among the first to respond.

The multidisciplinary group consisted of victim specialists, analysts, and special agents all trained in responding to mass casualty events.

While in San Bernardino, they connected grieving victims and their families to a variety of support services during the course of the investigation. But when it came to providing relief and comfort, the team relied on two English Labrador Retrievers for help.

Wally and Giovanni are the FBI’s new crisis response canines. They are part of a pilot program recently launched by the Bureau’s Office for Victim Assistance (OVA).

According to OVA Assistant Director Kathryn Turman, the dogs are an additional way her team can help victims and family members cope with the impact of crime.

“The Crisis Response Canine Program was a natural evolution in developing the Rapid Deployment Team’s capacity,” said Turman. “With San Bernardino and other places we’ve taken them, the dogs have worked a certain type of magic with people under a great deal of stress. That’s been the greatest value."

Turman said the idea for the canine program stemmed from a conference she attended years ago in Canada, where she witnessed police victim service dogs in action. Turman quickly brought the concept to life at the FBI when she returned home.

To read more on this story, click here: FBI Crisis Response Canines Help Victims Cope With Tragedy

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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is Proposing to use Unmanned Aerial Drones to Help Black-Footed Ferrets

Black-footed ferrets are America’s ferrets, the only ones native to this country — and they’re in trouble. What better way to help save them than one of America’s favorite contraptions, the drone?

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to use unmanned aerial vehicles, more commonly known as drones, to rain peanut-butter pellets down on northeast Montana. The tasty ammunition is laced with a vaccine against the plague. The targets are prairie dogs that are commonly afflicted with the disease.

Getting those rodents to scarf down the drone-fired bait would keep them healthy, which in turn would help the ferrets, because black-footed ferrets eat prairie dogs. Prairie dogs, in fact, make up 90 percent of the diet of the carnivorous ferrets, which also live inside the prairie dogs’ old burrows. Black-footed ferrets are, in other words, entirely dependent on prairie dogs.

And keeping black-footed ferrets alive is a key mission for Fish and Wildlife, whose literature charmingly refers to the animals as “BFFs.” They’re cute and oblong, with the face of a tiny badger, and they’re among the most endangered species in the world. As Americans pushed west, prairie dog eradication programs, agriculture and development removed much of the ferrets’ prey and habitat, and by 1987 just 18 of the little masked creatures remained.

They’ve since been captured, bred in captivity and reintroduced to more than two dozen spots in eight Western states and Canada and Mexico. But there still aren’t many of them, and the flea-borne plague is a big threat. For years, Fish and Wildlife workers have squirted flea-killing powder, by hand, down into prairie dog burrows across the plains. But that’s labor-intensive and inefficient, and there are signs the fleas might be developing a resistance, said Fish and Wildlife biologist Randy Matchett. Vaccinating the ferrets from the plague is also tough, because they live underground and are nocturnal.

Enter the peanut butter pellets — and the drones. Matchett has been hard at work developing the pellets, which encase a vaccine that has worked in lab trials and in small patches of the wild to protect prairie dogs from the plague. Now the government wants to expand the trials to bigger, 1,000-acre areas. The idea is to head out in the early mornings, while ferrets are sleeping but prairie dogs are active, and drop a pellet every 30 feet. In tests, that rate has enticed 70 to 95 percent of prairie dogs to eat the bait (which Matchett said he knows because it tinted their whiskers pink).

The pellets, by the way, are not M&Ms, as has been reported elsewhere, Matchett said. “We do not have an official candy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,” said an agency spokesman, Ryan Moehring. They are “more like a mini-marshmallow,” Matchett said.

But how to efficiently dispense them? Matchett has proposed testing two ideas at a national wildlife refuge in northeastern Montana: Strap a GPS-sensing dispenser to a human-driven ATV that shoots a pellet left, right and down every 30 feet. Or strap the same sort of dispenser to a fixed-wing drone, which could be cheaper and speedier, treating two acres a minute, Matchett said.

“You see how the math and that velocity really get attractive,” he said.

Matchett said he is working with a contractor to design the pellet-shooting drone, which he hopes will get a trial run later this summer. “I know nothing about drones, but he does,” Matchett said. “And I’ve explained the requirements that we need, and he says, ‘I can do that.'”

Flea-killing spraying and ATVs will probably also remain in use, Moehring said. “This is conceptual and limited in scope,” he said. “There is not an army of drones heading to the West.”

Though the use of a drone would be novel, this is hardly the first time airdrops have been used for conservation.

Among the most delightful examples actually involved airdropping the animals themselves. In the 1950s, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game rounded up beavers that were wreaking havoc on private property, packed them by twos into wooden boxes, attached them to parachutes and dropped them into remote areas where the toothy rodents’ dam-building skills were needed.

As in the case of the ferrets, the paratrooper force grew out of a need for efficiency: Previously, the beavers had been trapped, packed onto horses, driven by truck to a forest, then packed onto horses again and “subjected to more handling, heat and jolting,” according to a 1950 article by the department’s Elmo W. Heter, who devised the parachute plan. Here’s a video of it:


In 2013, U.S. helicopters dropped 2,000 dead mice strapped to makeshift cardboard and tissue parachutes onto the forests of Guam. Their mission: Kill invasive brown tree snakes. The mice had been studded with acetaminophen, the painkiller in Tylenol, which is lethal to the snakes. The parachutes tangled mice in the trees, where they made perfect tree snake snacks.

In the 1970s and 1980s, tens of thousands of vaccine-stuffed chicken heads were airdropped onto the Swiss countryside to help rid foxes of rabies. These days, Texas every year launches what it calls an “aerial assault on rabies,” by sending out planes to drop millions of little plastic packets of fishmeal-coated anti-rabies bait. The targets used to be coyotes and foxes; now they’re also aimed at skunks. This method is used in several Eastern states as well, where the Department of Agriculture has long dropped cubes of anti-rabies laced dog food to prevent raccoon rabies.

And then there’s this bizarre, not-definitely-true example: In the 1950s, the World Health Organization just might have parachuted live cats into Borneo, where it was hoped they’d kill the rats that were spreading plague and typhus among people. The details are sketchy — it might have been just a few cats, or might have been 14,000, and they might have floated down in baskets, according to Patrick T. O’Shaughnessy, an Iowa professor who wrote about the operation for the American Journal of Public Health in 2008. He wrote, however, that the “basic components of the cat story seem to be true,” and “although seemingly bizarre in nature, this method of delivery was not uncommon.”

Back in Montana, Matchett says airplanes aren’t quite right for the ferret mission, because the delivery must be precise, and therefore low-flying.

“We’re saving hoverboards for last,” he said of his vaccine-distribution plan.

That, unlike the drone idea, was a joke.

A black-footed ferret at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Black-footed Ferret Conservation Center in Wellington, Colo. (AP Photo/ U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Kimberly Fraser)

Black-footed ferret babies born at the Conservation and Research Center, part of Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park. ( Photo by Jessie Cohen, Smithsonian’s National Zoo)

A black-footed ferret prepares to leave its carrier during a release of 30 ferrets by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service at the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge in Commerce City, Colo.  (David Zalubowski/AP)

Department of Agriculture wildlife specialist Tony Salas holds a brown tree snake outside his office on Andersen Air Force Base on the island of Guam. The U.S. government is dropping toxic mice from helicopters to battle the snakes, an invasive species that has decimated Guam’s native bird population. (Eric Talmadge/AP)

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The Film ‘The Secret Life of Pets’ Has Some Pet Retailers Cashing In

The film ‘The Secret Life of Pets’ (CMCSA) opened with a massive $103 million dollar opening weekend, crushing expectations.

While the film might be a cash cow though for Universal Studios, pet retailers can expect to cash in on the animal themed film.

After the release of films like ‘101 Dalmatians’ and ‘Finding Nemo’ there was a spike in Dalmatian and Clown fish purchases. Animal shelters and adoption agencies interviewed by FOXBusiness.com advised that they don’t expect to see a spike in adoptions or animal purchases based on the various animals in the film, but that that could change over time.

PetSmart collaborated with the film on a special collection of dog toys, beds, and clothes among many other items. 

According to the pet retailer, the best selling product are the Buddy Bungee Toy, Max and Buddy plush toys and the Gidget Ruffle Dress. Max plays the lead role as a Jack Russell Terrier, Buddy is an easy going Dachshund and a friend of Max’s, and Gidget is a Pomeranian with romantic intentions for Max.

Rebecca Frechette, the Senior Vice President of Merchandising at Petco says that the pet merchandising market is strong and fashionable items like travel supplies and collars have been trending well.

She also notes that consumers have a high interest in adopting pets. “People really want to help pets and make them a part of their family” Frechette tells FOXBusiness.com.

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For Those of You Who Love for Your Pets to Sleep with You: Mattress Company Makes Beds With A Special Compartment for Your Pet

Your bed is a sacred place. Everyone has a different relationship with their bed, but I can guarantee most of us hate leaving our bed in the morning. It’s just so comfy!

If you have animals, you either let them sleep in the bed with you or they’re not allowed on the bed at all. If you don’t want them on the bed, I don’t blame you! It can be a pain washing the sheets constantly because of their fur or whatever they dragged in. If you do let them sleep with you, you can try this incredible hack for cleaning your mattress!

For those of you who love your pets and wish they could sleep in your bed, but have been saying no all this time, you’re in for a real treat! A mattress company has created special beds with a compartment meant just for your pet!

Colchão Inteligente Bento Gonçalves is the Brazilian mattress company behind this genius pet-friendly bed!

These special pet beds have a removable box in the base of the bed where the pet can sleep. They even get a curtain!

The company’s CEO, Filipe Machado, said that customers can order the bed with whatever size box they want for their pets.

The bigger the box, the bigger the bed will need to be.

The first bed was made in 2013, after a customer requested a special bed for her pooch with health problems.

Buyers don’t have to worry about the special pet bed getting too dirty, as they can remove the box and clean it with a cloth!

This bed is the perfect solution for animal lovers who want their pets to sleep with them, but either don’t want them hogging the bed or making a mess. 

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A South Florida Man is Fighting to Keep His Pizza Loving Pet Alligator

Coconut Grove, Florida  - A South Florida man is fighting to keep his male pet alligator, "Gwendolyn," that he has had for the past 47 years.

David Van Buren says he has kept the gator as a pet, and even took his pet to college.

"Once he was in the house, he didn't want to leave. I think it took us like three weeks to get him to go back outside. He was on the couch all the time, or in the bathtub," said Van Buren.

Now that he's gotten too large to roam around his backyard in Coconut Grove, Florida Fish & Wildlife officials are stepping in to take the 13-foot-long reptile.  Authorities received a complaint about the alligator and began to investigate.

"Unfortunately, Gwendolyn the alligator is not in the proper caging it is supposed to be," FWC's Lorenzo Veloz offered.

Van Buren feeds the alligator pizza and chocolate chip cookies  -- Chips Ahoy are apparently his favorite -- and says he'll do whatever he can to keep him.

There's no word yet on how long FWC will take to come to a decision, or where they would take Gwendolyn if they removed him from the home.








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Prince George's County Animal Shelter: Take Home a New Family Member on July 23rd During the ‘Clear the Shelters’ Event

Take home a new family member on July 23rd during the ‘Clear the Shelters’ event. Adoption fees will be waived at participating shelters. For more information visit NBCWashington.

Prince George's County Animal Management
3750 Brown Station Rd, 
Upper Marlboro, Maryland

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