Washington DC - Washington Humane Society - Join Us In Giving A Big Thank You To Our Field Services Officers

Last week, our Field Services Officers were honored at Equinox Restaurant. We'd like to give them a HUGE thank you for making DC safer for animals.

Our officers are working around the clock to protect animals in the District. If you see an animal in distress, please call 202-576-6664. If you suspect abuse or neglect, call 202-723-5730.

For over 100 years, the Washington Humane Society has been on the front lines of animal protection. The WHS Humane Law Enforcement department (HLE) is congressionally authorized and maintains the statutory right under District law to investigate animal abuse and neglect.  We take this responsibility very seriously and are available to help animals 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, regardless of weather conditions, time of day or night and regardless of species of animal in trouble, HLE responds.

Combating animal cruelty is a job that no one can do alone. We rely on members of the public, people who care about the well-being of animals to help us in this fight. Please visit the WHS HLE pages to learn more about what we do and how you can help.

                                Don’t look away from animal cruelty. Do something.

To learn more on the WHS Humane Law Enforcement department (HLE), click here: Fight Cruelty

Website: Washington Humane Society

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The Costs of Care For Abused Animals

SB-393 / HB-362 - Costs of Care for Seized Animals  - will hold owners of abused and neglected animals accountable!

If your Senator or Delegate sits on one of the committees hearing this bill  ACT NOW on Care for Abused Animals.

Update 3/12/15: The Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee voted favorably with amendments.   The House Judiciary Committee can vote at anytime!  If your legislator sits on this committee Act Now!

Update 3/4/15: The House Judiciary Committee held a hearing today on this important bill and can vote at anytime!  The Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee held its hearing last week and can also vote at anytime! If your legislator sits on one of these committees Act Now!

One of the greatest obstacles to enforcing animal cruelty laws in Maryland is the expense of caring for the animals while cruelty charges are prosecuted. As it now stands, shelters are often forced to care for abused animals for extended periods. Abuse cases can go on for months, even years, and the care to help these abused animals is paid for by the shelters and taxpayers, instead of the people who abused the animals. That's wrong and needs to be fixed.

Maryland has one of the weakest "Cost of Care" laws in the country. It's one of the reasons Maryland is ranked in the bottom tier in the nation on its animal cruelty laws.

Meanwhile, the shelters are tasked with caring for abused and neglected animals and can be saddled with costs so steep they might not be able to afford to take in other animals, or provide other essential services to the community. ACT NOW and help get the Costs of Care bill passed and shift some of this finanaical burden to the owners of these abused and neglected animals!

The other sad reality of this situation is what happens to the animals. These animals have already suffered from neglect and abuse and, although they are safe and cared for in shelters, they can be caught in legal limbo that leaves them stuck in shelters for months-or even years while their alleged abuser is prosecuted for cruelty. This bill provides a hearing process that can require the person to post a bond to pay for care or relinquish the animals so they can be put up for adoption, thereby allowing seized animals to find a new home.

Please ACT NOW to provide much-needed relief to animal control agencies and taxpayers, and save the lives of countless animals!

Ringling Brothers Finally Retires Its Elephants After Years of Mistreatment

Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States, issued the following statement in response to Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus’ announcing that it will retire its performing elephants in 2018:

“This is a startling and tremendously exciting announcement. With consumers now so alert to animal welfare issues, no business involved in any overt form of animal exploitation can survive in the long run. Whether it is locking pigs in metal cages on factory farms or chaining elephants for long-distance travel in performing circuses, businesses must adapt to public concerns in order to succeed in today’s humane economy.

"We’ve said all along that the public won’t tolerate the abuse of elephants with sharp bullhooks to get them to perform tricks or the constant chaining of these highly intelligent and mobile animals. There are better forms of entertainment that don’t harm animals. Cities like Los Angeles and Oakland have recently banned the use of bullhooks, and the trajectory was clear that this practice had no future in the 21st century.”

Six reasons Ringling made the right call

Heartwarming Story: Owner Grants Dying Dog’s Lifelong Wish - Just Mans Best Friend for Life

Stories like this truly makes my heart melt. A 13-year-old dog named Sunshade was diagnosed with cancer and to give her the best memories in the last few months of her life, her owner decided to grant her biggest wish: to have guinea pigs of her own.

According to Sunshade’s owner, the Airedale Terrier has always adored guinea pigs. Whenever they went to the pet store, Sunshade always stares at the guinea pigs for the longest time. She was so in love with them.

Sunshade finally got her wish and even got two guinea pigs. Her owner intended to get the dying pooch two females but something unexpected happened. Check out the video to know the surprising twist to the story.