Animal Welfare League of Alexandria Virginia Incorporated

ANIMAL CARE: In FY22, we cared for 3,001 animals (1,265 cats, 1,127 dogs, 192 small animals/livestock and 417 wild animals), and providing their daily care was our largest expense. Our team of shelter volunteers assisted AWLA staff to provide top-level care for every animal at the shelter. In FY22, shelter volunteers donated 45,953 hours to the AWLA, roughly equivalent to 15 full-time employees. These volunteers performed a range of tasks, including helping with laundry and dishes; walking dogs; staffing events; cleaning animal enclosures; maintaining the yards and landscaping; cleaning carriers; transporting animals to vet appointments; stocking supplies; socializing cats and feeding animals. During the pandemic, volunteers also donated their time from home, helping our organization administratively as well as with enrichment activities for animals.In order to expand our sheltering capability and provide a unique, home-like environment for animals who might not thrive in the shelter (including newborn and sick or injured animals), we also coordinated a team of more than 251 volunteer foster providers to care for 554 animals (186 dogs, 344 cats and 24 other animals) in their homes in FY22. The AWLA strives to find placement for every animal that can safely and humanely be rehomed, and in FY22, we found placement for 96% of the pets in our care. To achieve this goal, our staff and volunteers went above and beyond to assist animals in our custody, focusing on animals' health, behavior, enrichment and more to provide them with the best care on their way to finding new homes. We also continue to work closely with other regional shelters and rescues in areas that may not have the same resources as ours, transferring animals to our facility to help those organizations with overpopulation and to increase our combined life-saving efforts. In FY22, we brought in 679 animals from several shelters and rescues in Virginia, as well as West Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.Many of the animals that come to us have health issues ranging from fairly minor to extremely serious, including infections, bone breaks/fractures, heart problems, diabetes and other chronic illnesses. Our shelter veterinarian is responsible for examining all of the animals at the shelter and determining how to best meet each of their medical needs. She works closely with multiple veterinarians in the community who provide the AWLA with their surgical and specialty services at a discount. In FY22, more than 200 animals with major medical concerns were treated by the AWLA.

ADOPTIONS AND SUPPORT SERVICES: In FY22, the AWLA administered 1,364 adoptions, including dogs and cats but also rabbits, birds, guinea pigs, hamsters, lizards, and even sugar gliders. We expanded our efforts to make sure all adopters are receiving the level of follow-up support they need, in case they have any behavioral or medical questions about their new pet, and our Behavior Hotline has offered guidance to dozens of pet owners to help overcome issues that might otherwise lead to the surrender of a pet.

COMMUNITY PROGRAMS: As the pandemic affected people and jobs in our region, we expanded our efforts to provide support to pet owners, so no one would need to make the heartbreaking decision to surrender a beloved pet for financial reasons. Through our Community Pet Pantry, we distributed over 52,000 pounds of supplies, as well more than 17,000 pounds of supplies to senior/housebound pet owners through our AniMeals program, and almost twice that amount through local events and to other regional shelters and rescues. The majority of these supplies were also donated to us from the community. Our Spay and Neuter Assistance program offered over 300 pet owners vouchers for this life-changing surgery, helping to control the population of homeless animals and prevent unexpected litters that might lead to animal surrender. And the AWLA's Crisis Care program continued to provide limited-term boarding for pets whose owners are undergoing emergencies like loss of housing or hospital stays. Through these programs, we help countless animals in our community stay where they belong -- in homes where they are loved.

ANIMAL SERVICES: Citizens made 3,352 calls for assistance for animal-related issues in the City of Alexandria in FY22, including 656 calls about sick/injured animals, 383 calls about animals bites, 283 calls about possible abuse and/or neglect, 1,551 wildlife-related calls and 429 calls about stray animals, as well as others. As first responders, our Animal Services officers rescue animals, transport injured/sick animals for veterinary care, provide support to pet owners in need across Alexandria and educate the public about living humanely with wildlife and proper treatment of animals. In FY20, the AWLA expanded our relationships with city law enforcement and attorneys to investigate and prosecute cases of animal abuse/neglect in the community and to be part of the citywide domestic violence task force, as animal abuse and neglect also often indicate human abuse in households.