The Animal Welfare League of Arlington is a nonprofit humane society that shelters animals in Arlington, Virginia
Happy Tails & Photos of Adopted Pets
Each year we find homes for more than 1,100 animals and we enjoy hearing about every one of them. Please continue to send photos and stories about your adopted pets to mail@awla.org, and some of them will appear on this page.
Misty, adopted in March 2011
The last of our four pets, Cody a 12 1/2-year-old Golden Retriever, passed away on March 16, 2011, leaving us with an empty feeling in our home. At the insistence of my daughter, we drove over to AWLA - just to take a look! As we walked up and down the kitty aisles and passed by Misty's cage, she got up and came to the front of her cage and chirped at us. My son was looking for an orange cat, my daughter for a black and white - I am partial to tabby cats. ... I lifted up the [cage] card to see if there was anything else on the back of the card, and underneath there was a round disc attached to the cage that read "In memory of Cody." I turned to my kids and said it was a sign - they laughed at me and thought I was goofy. So we looked a little more and then I insisted we go back and see Misty. She was very eager to see us. My daughter then noticed on the card that Misty had been checked into the shelter on their birthday (she and her brother are twins). At that point I said that this kitty was meant for us. We took her into the visiting room and she was very affectionalte with all three of us. We just loved her instantly and took her home that day.Misty has been a joy and blessing to our family. Thank you for your wonderful shelter and staff that helped us adopt our new family member. We will take good care of her.
Buddy
I am writing to follow up on the success story about Buddy which was on the cover of your last newsletter. We adopted Buddy on November 1 [2010]. Since then he has become a part of our family. He is well behaved, a great walker, gentle and loving with the children. We couldn't ask for a better dog.
Recently we went to the beach in South Carolina. Buddy ran for miles and miles chasing birds and barking at the waves. ... People kept stopping us on the beach to tell us what a lovely dog we have and to pat him.Thank you for keeping Buddy as long as you did and for working so hard to make sure the right family came along. We really love him and will bring to him to visit again soon.
Leo
I adopted Leo (formerly known as Lucky) on Veteran's Day weekend. Leo has a front leg that is deformed, but that doesn't hinder him in the least. He zips around my house just as fast as my other cat and he loves to play with my dog. I don't think he was ever exposed to dogs prior to my adopting him, but he has adapted to his new buddies. He is as sweet as he can be to people too. When you pick him up, he turns into an instant rag doll.
Leo is the fifth cat that I have adopted from AWLA in the past 18 years. I will always adopt my pets from shelters and AWLA has always been so helpful in assisting me with finding the perfect pet. I am so thankful that your volunteers take the time to get to know the pets in the shelter so that they can share information about the personalities. I am so happy that Leo has melded in to the household so well.
Crickett (Cat or Dog?), Adopted in September 2010
Cricket is getting along marvelously. Last night, he was overflowing with cuteness and we caught it on video. I thought you might enjoy this:
Remy, Adopted in 2010
Remy has had a great first week! The house training is going fairly well, accidents once daily on average. He has tons of toys! He loves playing in the grass in the backyard and has been great interacting with dogs, friends and kids! He has even spent the night out of the crate in our bedroom twice with no accidents and nothing chewed :) We are all very happy.
Chloe, Adopted in 2006
In October of 2006, shortly after losing my 16-year old cat (adopted from the Arlington Shelter when she was just 1-1/2 years old), I found Chloe, a 5-year old Bengal girl, at AWLA.
She had been surrendered because her household, which included several therapy dogs in training and a young child, was too chaotic for her. She adjusted quickly to my quiet household and soon made herself completely at home. She is a beautiful, sweet and talented girl and she thanks the Arlington Shelter for taking good care of her while she awaited a new direction in her life.
Joey, Adopted in 2010
I would like to thank you for our new addition to our family. My son (Joshua) adores Joey as do we. Thank you and God bless you all. **true angels**
Hershey Adopted in September 2010
Whisper Adopted in August 2010
Remington
Bailey Adopted in August 2010
Moe Adopted in 2010
He was called Rusty when he came to you, but his name is now Moe. What a totally
delightful little guy he is. I've never known a friendlier cat who is
totally at ease no matter what is going on.
Lucy Adopted in 2008
I adopted Edith (now Lucy) about two years ago around Christmas. I wanted
to send some pictures as an update to show you how lovely she is and how
happy we are as a family. One is her on her own (we'll she decided and my
sister and I could not argue) chair and her swimming with her "brother"
Buddy. Thanks again for everything. She is the best gift I could have ever asked
for!
Grayson
Grayson, formally Trinity, is doing great in her new forever home. She loves having two stories to run around in and is a funny, crazy cat that has tons of energy. She loves her toy mice and will play soccer with them to my great amusement. She also loves just having a crumpled up piece of paper to bat around. One of her favorite things to do is jump up on the bed w/a toy mouse in her mouth and drop it on me. I hope I never get REAL mice as I’m afraid she’d do the same with them! She also loves launching herself on the bed and hiding and ‘pouncing’ on me! It’s too funny! She’s gained about a pound since coming home, making her vet very happy as he felt she was a little on the thin side and she’s VERY vocal. She will meow and make all kinds of cute little sounds. She’s a very clean kitty, bathing herself daily, and even seems to be considering joining me in the shower! She will sit in my bathroom sink and wait for me to finish showering. She is a great, very AMUSING kitty. I laugh daily at her boistrous playing. She just cracks me up! Lastly, she LOVES to give hugs when I arrive home from a long period away (work etc.). She is a great addition to the house and I look forward to enjoying her for many years to come.
Jackson
Ziggy, Adopted in June 2010
Ziggy loves to pose and has integrated seamlessly with my other two cats. I look forward to getting to know his quirks! Fun!
Howie, Adopted in 2010
We wanted to share a few pics of Howie's first weekend at his new home...he is so sweet amd affectionate. A little shy,but warming up very quickly! Prefers my husband and myself and our 10 yr old to the 5 and 6 yr old (understandably), but is tolerating them well. (Jumped in my lap during fireworks) Just a sweet,wonderful addition to our household!
Thank You for all your great help!!
Tristan, Adopted in 2004
We adopted Tristan about six years ago and can't imagine our lives without him. He is the most even tempered, loving, faithful, sweetest, smartest dog ever. He has become best friends with our 5 year old son, and they both love to get into mischief together. We always get compliments on how wonderfully behaved Tristan is and what a beautiful dog he is. One of the best decision my wife and I made was walking into AWLA to "look" at the dogs... and picking the one dog who essentially ignored us (no barking or jumping around) Thanks to AWLA our family has a furry companion for life.
Diesel & Sophie
Thanks again for all your help with Norm (now named Diesel). It was a long time, but he and Fancy (now named Sophie) can finally exist in the same house peacefully. They even share the same piece of furniture, occasionally (see attached picture). I've even caught them actually playing with each other - Sophie ambushed Diesel the other day instead of the other way around. So - if other adopters are struggling, you can pass along that it took us about 2 months, but now everything is great. I simply love Diesel, he is a great cat. Thanks again,
Rosie
A month or two ago I adopted Lee Lee and chaged her name to Rosie. I just wanted to let you know that she is the most wonderful dog I've ever seen! She loves to cuddle and is very well behaved! We took her to the dog park once, and she knows she has to get in the car to go. So everytime I walk her, she wants to get in the car! She's always by me and I feel really protected. she's great with my friends too. When my friends sleptover, she slept with us and was warm and calm the whole night! She is GREAT!
Harley
When we went looking for a dog for our son, we never dreamed we would get such a wonderful dog -- I realize all people think their dog is the best -- but Harley is truly a blessing in our home -- he does not exhibit any behavioral issues. I sit and visit with other people that have dogs and the stories of their dogs behavior and training and chewing issues are terrible, I think Harley took one look at us and said in his mind "If you all take me home -- I will be the best dog ever for you guys." He sure is.
Pancho and Jaime, Adopted in March 2010
I have had my guinea pigs for one week, and Pancho and Jaime are doing fine. Every day we take them out and let them roam the kitchen for exercise. And all throughout the day I bundle them up in a blanket and take turns holding each of them. Even Pancho lets people hold him for a while. They both seem happy and healthy.
Thank you very much for finding me the perfect guinea pig pets!
Willis, Adopted in July 2009 and Dasher, Adopted in January 2010
After a week of the integration process and a couple weeks of supervised visits Willis grew to love his new little brother Dasher and now you can never find one with out the other. They are truly a blessing to have and we just adore them!
Riley, adopted in February 2010
Yasmeen and I would like to thank all the staff at AWLA.
It was always a pleasure talking with any of you.
Looks like Morgan and Riley [on the bottom] are getting along great so far!
Shelby, Adopted in January 2009
I just wanted to write in to send you photos of Shelby and give you an
update. She is adjusting really well and we both already love her. She's keeping her independent nature but has
found room for us in her life. She loves exploring the apartment,
watching the people, cars and dogs outside the window, and playing with
her new toys. She especially loves chasing the laser pointer around the
apartment.
And I also wanted to say thank you for all your hard work in
giving the animals such a caring temporary home. I can tell Shelby was
well taken care of in her year at the Animal Welfare League.
Teddy and Dusty, Adopted in May 2009
I wanted to give you all an update on how Teddy & Dusty (formerly "Bunny" as I say, that's what he is, not WHO he is!) - I adopted them in May 2009. They are the greatest little buns, and I don't even remember what life was like before them (although I'm pretty sure there was a lot less hay in my shoes, and I didn't have to vacuum nearly as often). Teddy likes to do the Bunny 500 race around the living room, under the couch, over the cardboard condo, and through the crinkle tunnel. Dusty prefers to run up the ramp "Grandma" built for them to get on the couch and sit on my lap while I rub his nose. Both of them LOVE to climb the furniture - I don't think there's anything as unnerving as coming out of the kitchen and finding your bunny on top of a book shelf! When I first got them home I was so worried about them chewing wires, and put protective covers on everything. Turns out, they have NO interest in wires, but instead want to survey their kingdom and look out the windows.
I couldn't pick my favorite photo to include, so I've included my top 3. Teddy flopped out after dinner; Dusty flopped out and Teddy grooming him, and Dusty when he was hanging out in bunny heaven - between the boxes of chopped lettuce and cilantro.
I hope more people consider bringing bunnies into their homes. These guys are so great! Thanks for all your hard work, and big thanks to all the critter room volunteers. I was so nervous about adopting bunnies, and they answered all my questions and really put my mind at ease.
Furdi, Adopted in November 2009
We adopted [Furdi (formerly Doug)] from your shelter in November and he has become the most wonderful addition to our family. Our elderly dog Maggie (also a rescue) has been the greatest beneficiary of Furdi?s love. They are best friends and she is so happy to have someone to keep her company, especially when we are at work during the day.
Please thank everyone there at the shelter for all of their hard work and dedication to these lovely animals! We are so appreciative and hope to be able to adopt more friends in the future.
Formerly Dory (now Onyx), Adopted in November 2009 with Formerly Jada (now Kali), Adopted in January 2007
Juno, Adopted in 2006
I adopted Juno on Thanksgiving Eve 2006. He had been left at the AWLA shelter twice but the third time is the charm for him. He was a playful five year-old golden retriever and [probably] husky mix. I wanted to have him home for the four-day weekend to give him time to bond and get used to his new home. Should not have worried: I bought a dog bed and threw it in the corner of the living room before rushing out to get him before the shelter closed. When we got home, he eagerly walked up the stairs and, upon entering, immediately spied the dog bed, ran right to it and plopped himself down as if that had been his bed all along. He was home. Juno is now eight years old, still full of energy, and he might well be the sweetest dog ever.
Cecile, Adopted in 1993
When we walked into the shelter, we took one look at Cecile and knew that she had to become a member of our family. She looked like our 21 year old Himalayan cat, Puff, who had died a year earlier. We don?t remember her "shelter-given" name but the card estimated her age as one year old and stated that she had been found by a family in a parking lot but when they took her home she didn?t get along with their other cat. It also indicated that she had given birth to kittens recently.
My mom remembers that Cecile "picked" her as she was the only cat to come up to the bars of her cage when my mom was passing along the row of cages. Her now beautiful and lush plumed tail was really scrawny. However, with a lot of love and brushing, it eventually filled out. In fact, this is one of Cecile?s absolute favorite activities. More than any other cat we?ve known, Cecile craves brushing. She will jump up on the bathtub, the ottomans, chairs (anything that is of adequate height) and will ask to be brushed. She particularly likes a brush with metal bristles.
When we adopted her, she also never purred and we feared that the trauma she had endured before being rescued might have permanently silenced that most wondrous sound. Finally, after feeling secure and adored in her new "furever" home, she did start purring. Amazingly, she is now 17 years old! And, incredibly, she purrs louder and more often that she ever did as a young cat. In the last two years, you sometimes can find her purring for no apparent reason; perhaps, she just knows how much she is cherished.
Cecile wants to give a shout out to all her four-legged friends at the shelter to let them know that the perfect family is waiting to venerate them too! Indeed, her mom is now volunteering at AWLA to help make that happen!
Gene, Adopted in February, 2009
Gene is a very energetic and naughty boy! We play with him every day. He wakes us up at 5 AM, and meows away until we feed him. He loves to play with some toys that we have bought for him. We bought him some stuffed mice toys made of cloth, and when we throw them and ask him to fetch it, he runs like a mad cat with his eyes closed to chase the mice. He once ran so hard after a mouse that he collided against a wall in our home, and sat in front of it for half a minute or so, as he was probably seeing stars and the moon in broad daylight! He loves to play with any toy that has a feather on it - it probably reminds him of birds! He doesn't restrict himself to his own toys though - this morning my wife caught him playing with my wrist watch! She feeds him a snack before she leaves for the office. He probably sleeps a lot when we are gone, and is ready for his evening meal when we get home. We always feed him first - that's the very first thing we take care of when we get home! He loves to eat, but his weight is under control! Every time we go into the kitchen, he follows us and meows, hoping to convince us to feed him! Gene has given us a lot of joy! Well, except when is being unbelievably mischievous!
Leolani, Adopted in April 2009
He was officially adopted on April 20 and is well, healthy and content.
He has melded into our family well. Jamie (the Queen at 14) readily accepted him
for a couple of weeks - and then she began to have 2nd thoughts which have
led to all-out assaults on poor Leo. This lasted for about a week or so - and now she
is better .... and he has learned to stick up for himself. He is such a wonderful,
laid back, non-confrontational feline.... who took right away to sleeping in the
master bed. And Jamie is pleased with his companionship, although sometimes
she still forgets!
Meanwhile, I was thrilled to find out that Leo, in Hawaiian, means "voice".
And [volunteer] Stephanie told me when I was considering Leo that most people didn't
give him a second look because of two things:
#1) he is all black;
#2) he constantly talked while in his cage - but once out barely said anything.
So as I've always had black cats - that was a no brainer - and as for his "voice"-
it's wonderful when he chooses to use it. Leolani means "heavenly voice" - which
is what I've officially named him now - using Leo (pronounced "lay-oh") for short.
I want to thank the Animal Welfare League of Arlington for having Stephanie spend time with me in making the selection of the perfect cat for our household.
She was terrific in helping me feel at ease in making such a momentous decision.
Once Leo entered our house - he immediately fit in --- and I thank her for that.
She obviously knows and understands the temperament of the animals she cares for.
Thank goodness for people like Stephanie!
Again, many, many thanks.
Figaro, Adopted in September 2009
Carol Anne, My wife and I want to thank you for all your advice, and time, you spent with us as we searched for a companion to our other cat who was a recent feral rescue. Although Figaro (aka Pumpkin) was not as outgoing when we saw him at the Welfare League offices, your understanding of Figaro's history, and disposition was a significant factor in our adopting him.
We found Figaro to be an adorable, friendly, and extremely playful young guy--he makes us smile every day with his antics. He fit right in at our house and with us, and has the run of the place. While we understand the family circumstances in his previous adoptions, we can't ever imagine having to give him up; he is in a loving home. Our other cat is still extremely timid, but the two do play together for hours each day; Figaro can't wait to spend time with his new buddy and help him understand that people can be nice.
Thanks again also to the staff of the Animal Welfare League of Arlington for their assistance in Figaro's adoption. We're glad we drove the extra distance.
Ursula, Adopted in October 2009
Here is our little Ursula, her given name, that we brought home October 4th, 2009. Thanks for taking care of her until we could bring her home!
Laverne and Shirley, Adopted in July 2007
I adopted these two cats two years ago. They are so much fun. Thought you might like to see how they look now. Their names were Tootsie and Diane, but I re-named them Laverne and Shirley. Shirley is very sweet, very gentle and soft. Laverne sits on my lap every night to get petted, she is also a very loving animal. They get along with each other well, they play together often. I am so glad I got them, thanks for taking care of them before I adopted them.
Nugget, Adopted in September 2009
When my husband and I adopted Nugget last month, we were so exicited to add a third member to our happy little family of two. We had actually planned to name our new cat Nugget after the former mascot at our undergraduate university, so when we found one at AWLA already named Nugget, it had to be fate! When we first brought her home, we were unable to find her for the first 48 hours causing us to turn the apartment upside down-literally. Once she came out of hiding, she quickly became the center of attention in our house.
My husband and I are putty in her paws already. We would do anything for her, including waking up in the middle of the night for a late night play date or belly rub! She has made herself right [at] home and on most days, you can find her snuggled in her bed on the windowsill watching all the cars and people moving on the street below. She has become a great snuggle partner for an afternoon nap and keeps us entertained all evening long. I must say that I was surprised to find out that she was 9 years old because she is as active and spunky as any kitten I have ever had. I can only hope that we have made her as happy as she has made us.
Thanks to everyone at AWLA for helping us find our perfect match. We wish you the best of luck in helping all the other animals find loving homes as well.
Leo, Adopted in August 2009
I just wanted to thank you so much for helping me find my little diamond in the ruff, Fernando (now named Leo:it reminds me of the word "LEOpard" for his spots). He is doing so well.While the first day he spent 12 hours behind my couch, he then warmed up easily.
Although not a lap cat per se, he loves laying next to me and cuddling as I pet him, and he follows me everywhere I go. Knowing how great his personality is (and how beautiful he is), I can?t believe he was at AWLA so long! Why at 9 does everyone think this cat is so old? Leo wants everyone to know he is still such a baby at heart!
Leo (Fernando) says thank you to all of you who took special care of him while he was waiting for his new home. Thanks for all your help and I wish you the best of luck finding homes for all the other cats!
Lizzy, Adopted in September 2009
Just so you know, I'm not one to dress up dogs but I mentioned to my mom that as it got cooler I'd need to buy Lizzy a sweater to wear. She took that to mean that she needs an outfit for every occasion (haha).Lizzy sends her best to the whole AWLA team!
Pearl, Adopted in July 2009
I've had people tell me they want her if I don't, but that will never happen. I got a real gem. For a a first time dog owner, I hit the jackpot.
Edda and Abby, Adopted in July 2009
Lori, Adopted in June 2009
Lori is adjusting to her new home. She is adorable and animated. My friends love her. She has made friends with Duke my Rotti mix. All three of us were sharing salt-free cashews last night.By the way she is photogenic. Not sure if you trained her, but she would hold a pose for me indefinitely. She knows about the camera, and she is a little ham.
Mr. Marcus, Adopted in September 2006
Two years ago I adopted a cat whose name was Salem and he is the love of my life. I named him Mr. Marcus and he is the SWEETEST most loving cat I have ever had. He follows me around the house and when I pick him up he "hugs" me by putting a paw on each side of my neck and rubbing his cheek against mine. He is the perfect companion and I am so grateful to have him. I like to get Senior cats because I look for a certain personality (friendly and likes to cuddle) and I like to give the Seniors a home. I just wanted to let you know that Salem/Mr. Marcus is doing well and providing me with a great deal if joy!
Molly, Adopted in January 2009
Molly adjusted quickly to her new home and we are enjoying each other's company. She is already losing a little weight on her diet. With thanks to you and the staff at AWLA for all you do.
Brownie, Adopted in February 2009
Brownie was left one night tied to the shelter front door with only a note giving his name. We held him as a stray in case his family decided to come for him and then investigated some medical issues before placing him for adoption. Almost two months later a family decided to adopt him and wrote us an e-mail about how he is settling in. What a lucky boy!
We got [Brownie] home around 7 pm Monday night, fed him, let him rest and then played soccer in the backyard. He slept through the night on his dog bed in the living room with no accidents or whining. (And no baby gate.) He and Thad went for a run Tuesday morning and he did well when encountering other dogs, even getting in a "let's play" stance with a larger dog. We went to the vet today and she aspirated a couple of the cysts. Early indications are that they're fatty tissue but she sent one slide to the lab for further consult. She was concerned about his left paw turning out but when I told her about his propensity for soccer and jogging she said that didn't seem to be signs of a problem and perhaps his leg had been broken and healed funny. He's such a noble spirit and we're very blessed to have him in our family. Thanks for taking such good care of him!
Toby, Adopted January 2009
I just wanted to write you a note to tell you how I'm doing. My new owners have completely fallen in love with me already! They love to take me for walks and I have already gotten used to the path that we take everyday. My favorite new game is soccer! I've learned how to push the ball around with my paws. I took my trip to the vet and he says I am in good health except for that I gained two LBS. I will have to watch the treats! Anyway, I hope all of my pals at the Welfare League find nice homes to go to. I howl when people leave me alone because I like company. Thank you for taking care of me and finding me a new home! [Here's] a picture of me hogging Brooke's childhood toy "Puffalump."
Woof,
Toby
Lulu, Adopted in August 2006 and Lili, Adopted in July 2008
I've been a volunteer at AWLA for almost 15 years and have always wanted a dog but it wasn't until 2006 that my husband and I finally had jobs where we had time for one. From my experience working there I knew that I would find the right one if I took my time. I fell in love with an obese, supposedly stray 7 year old beagle with the sweetest disposition and we took her home.
The vet laid down the law on her weight and with daily long walks within a year she had lost 9 pounds (although she's still chubby but we like her that way). Lulu, as we named her, has been a joy since we brought her home. She is very affectionate yet enough of a troublemaker to keep us constantly entertained. We have so much fun with her we decided to adopt a second beagle two years later and this time brought home Lili, a 9 year old (formerly named Bubbles). Unlike Lulu, Lili was very timid and skittish of people, but is very attached to Lulu and by watching her and following in her footsteps (Lulu has always been very self-assured) has gained a lot of confidence from her. They are a lot of work but completely worth it. Thanks for taking them in so we could take them home!
Xavier, Adopted in January 2009
Here is a shot of Xavier (formerly "Alvin") and our boys the first day after we adopted him. He sleeps with our 9 year old and will sit on any of our laps. Thank you so much for matching us up with him. It is a perfect fit.
Adopted Pups Have a Play Date
Scout, Adopted in August 2008
[We] have loved every second we have had with [Scout, formerly Koko] and are so glad we made the decision to adopt her. She's so full of energy and loves her walks and runs, but she's especially enjoyed the camping trips we've taken her on where she gets to explore all the new smells when we go hiking. She's a great listener (as long as there are no squirrels around) loves to make us happy and as the picture shows, loves kids and attention. She's an amazing eater and has gained about 12 pounds since we took her home- 12 pounds of pure muscle. We absolutely love her. Thank you again for all the great work you guys do and for making it possible for us to make Scout a part of our family.
Jackson, Adopted in February 2006
I wanted to give you an update on the wonderful dog we adopted in February 2006. Jackson has added so much to our family that we can't image our lives without him. The best thing we ever did was to adopt him and add him to our family. Jackson has to be the best dog ever, he is well behaved and never causes any problems I don't know why anyone would want to give him up but their lose has been our gain. Because our experience with Jack has been so wonderful we are looking for a second rescue dog to add to our mix.
Mylitta, Adopted in December 2007
I adopted Mylitta from AWLA in December 2007. As I got acquainted with her at the shelter, she was such a playful and affectionate cat that I was surprised to learn she was 10 years old. But Mylitta won my heart and I had to take her home.
The shelter staff were candid with me about Mylitta?s health, which was very good except for some dental problems that would require veterinary attention. I was grateful for their honesty and consideration: they were most concerned about Mylitta?s happiness, and wanted me to know up-front what would be required to care for her.
It?s been almost a year since I brought Mylitta home, and I can?t imagine life without her. I work long hours and have no other pets, so an older cat was an ideal match for me. Mylitta loves to have her belly rubbed, and she waits patiently for the alarm to go off each morning: then she knows it?s breakfast time! She loves to play with feathers and pounce on her "mice." And I must confess, she?s a very good snuggler for an afternoon nap.
A big thank you to the staff and volunteers at AWLA, who do such a great job caring for the animals and uniting them with happy new owners.
Miles, Adopted in September 2008
Thank you for helping to make my recent cat adoption a positive experience. Miles settled into my home quickly and we bonded right away. Although he's only been with me a short time, I now can't imagine not having him around. He greets me when I return from work, watches TV with me at night, and sits on my desk while I work at the computer. He seems to be fascinated with my laptop and I think he may be sending emails of his own soon.
Being a kitten, he displays the usual kitten playfulness - chasing catnip toys across the room ("kitty hoots" brand are our favorite), pouncing on my feet, and waking me up at 1:00am to play. He's also extremely affectionate, and he loves being held in my arms. I believe he's going to grow up to be a very sweet, loving kitty.
Tiger Lily, Adopted in August 2008
After a week in her new home she's settling in very nicely. She's been a perfect little lady at
home, confining her chewing to her new toys (and occasionally, and thankfully less and less frequently, me) and remembering to do her business outside and only outside.
She's learning lots of new things. In 7 days she has added "down" and "let's
go!" to her vocabulary and she knows exactly where home is. She loves
walking through Crystal City, especially because lots of people like to stop
and give her attention. She's even met several of the local dogs and she
gets along great with them (though she definitely plays too rough, still, to
go without very nearby supervision).
Thanks again for everything and for helping me find my new friend!
Miles, Adopted in September 2008
We absolutely adore our newest family member, Miles Chai Le Chat (being Denver Broncos fans and Jewish, we incorporated both into his name!)While he was called "Jonathon"during his brief stay at the League and now has a new name, he has remained the same loving and purring kitty we met two minutes before closing on September 10th!
When he came home to live with us on September 11th, he blended very quickly into our family. Now it feels as if he's lived with us from the very beginning. He's spunky and fun and we are so happy to have him in our family! Thank you! Thank you!
Shelby & Mia, Adopted in July 2007
We adopted Mia and Shelby in July 2007, and we thought you might enjoy a photo and a brief update on how they are doing.
These are absolutely sweet and wonderful cats. Both are very friendly with strangers - Shelby especially - and as an added plus, they get along well together. We consider ourselves very lucky to have found them, and they certainly seem happy and contented here with us.
Both cats, Mia in particular, were overweight when we adopted them. We're pleased to say that both have lost a little weight, especially Mia. We attribute this to measured feeding and lots of activity, not to mention living in a house with four levels that forces them to go at least one flight of stairs for food or litterboxes.
Shelby is what we call a "pleaser" because she's not at all shy about demanding attention from anyone and everyone she meets. Its as if she wants to please everyone by giving them attention and affection so she will get the same in return. Or maybe she just thinks if she plays up to someone they will feed her! She is interested in almost every kind of food - although, oddly enough, she is quite picky when it comes to canned cat food in that she only really likes chicken and fish. When she does like her food, she's like a mini vacuum cleaner, sucking it up in almost no time at all.
Mia, though also friendly, is a bit more reserved. Although she doesn't play up to people like Shelby, she also doesn't shy away and is quite tolerant of being petted. She is also less picky about cat food, and affably will eat just about any flavor presented, plus she likes to draw out feeding time - a few bites of wet, walk away, maybe a bite of dry, go get a drink of water, back to the wet (if Shelby hasn't gotten to it first).
And Mia just loves to play! Being such a heavy girl, one would think that she would be more sedentary. But no, she loves to play, and often. She will let you know when she wants it, too, with these funny "rowrl" vocalizations. Shelby also loves play. Neither is real big on solo play toys (although they love the little catnip pillows). Instead, they prefer interactive play, and we keep several teaser toys handy to play with them as often as we can.
Mia doesn't talk too much unless she wants something, but she has a really loud purr. Shelby talks all the time, in this cute squeaky little voice. She also makes these hilarious contented "sighing" noises when she's napping.
Although the cats didn't know each other prior to their adoption, they really do get along well. Sure, there is some occasional minor kitty jealousy, but they play with each other and sometimes cuddle together or wash each other. They're just great cats and we love them very much.
Oreo, Adopted in June 2008
Something about his cute little mug called to me... When I first held him,
he relaxed into my arms like he trusted me completely. This is the second
rat that I have adopted from the Animal Welfare League of Arlington, and I
am just so greatful to them for providing a temporary home for two of the
sweetest boys I have ever known.
Jubie, Adopted in October 2000
I just wanted you to know how happy I have been with my guinea pig that I adopted in October 2000 (she was born spring of that year). Yes, Jubie is now more than eight years old!! She has outlived her companion pig, and continues to be as healthy as can be. Her goal is still to eat all the lettuce in the world, and she won't quit this mortal coil until she's succeeded, or so it seems.
Thank you again for doing such a great job of sheltering the animals.
The last of our four pets, Cody a 12 1/2-year-old Golden Retriever, passed away on March 16, 2011, leaving us with an empty feeling in our home. At the insistence of my daughter, we drove over to AWLA - just to take a look! As we walked up and down the kitty aisles and passed by Misty's cage, she got up and came to the front of her cage and chirped at us. My son was looking for an orange cat, my daughter for a black and white - I am partial to tabby cats. ... I lifted up the [cage] card to see if there was anything else on the back of the card, and underneath there was a round disc attached to the cage that read "In memory of Cody." I turned to my kids and said it was a sign - they laughed at me and thought I was goofy. So we looked a little more and then I insisted we go back and see Misty. She was very eager to see us. My daughter then noticed on the card that Misty had been checked into the shelter on their birthday (she and her brother are twins). At that point I said that this kitty was meant for us. We took her into the visiting room and she was very affectionalte with all three of us. We just loved her instantly and took her home that day.Misty has been a joy and blessing to our family. Thank you for your wonderful shelter and staff that helped us adopt our new family member. We will take good care of her.
I am writing to follow up on the success story about Buddy which was on the cover of your last newsletter. We adopted Buddy on November 1 [2010]. Since then he has become a part of our family. He is well behaved, a great walker, gentle and loving with the children. We couldn't ask for a better dog.
I adopted Leo (formerly known as Lucky) on Veteran's Day weekend. Leo has a front leg that is deformed, but that doesn't hinder him in the least. He zips around my house just as fast as my other cat and he loves to play with my dog. I don't think he was ever exposed to dogs prior to my adopting him, but he has adapted to his new buddies. He is as sweet as he can be to people too. When you pick him up, he turns into an instant rag doll.
Remy has had a great first week! The house training is going fairly well, accidents once daily on average. He has tons of toys! He loves playing in the grass in the backyard and has been great interacting with dogs, friends and kids! He has even spent the night out of the crate in our bedroom twice with no accidents and nothing chewed :) We are all very happy.
In October of 2006, shortly after losing my 16-year old cat (adopted from the Arlington Shelter when she was just 1-1/2 years old), I found Chloe, a 5-year old Bengal girl, at AWLA.
I would like to thank you for our new addition to our family. My son (Joshua) adores Joey as do we. Thank you and God bless you all. **true angels**
He was called Rusty when he came to you, but his name is now Moe. What a totally
delightful little guy he is. I've never known a friendlier cat who is
totally at ease no matter what is going on.
I adopted Edith (now Lucy) about two years ago around Christmas. I wanted
to send some pictures as an update to show you how lovely she is and how
happy we are as a family. One is her on her own (we'll she decided and my
sister and I could not argue) chair and her swimming with her "brother"
Buddy. Thanks again for everything. She is the best gift I could have ever asked
for!
Grayson, formally Trinity, is doing great in her new forever home. She loves having two stories to run around in and is a funny, crazy cat that has tons of energy. She loves her toy mice and will play soccer with them to my great amusement. She also loves just having a crumpled up piece of paper to bat around. One of her favorite things to do is jump up on the bed w/a toy mouse in her mouth and drop it on me. I hope I never get REAL mice as I’m afraid she’d do the same with them! She also loves launching herself on the bed and hiding and ‘pouncing’ on me! It’s too funny! She’s gained about a pound since coming home, making her vet very happy as he felt she was a little on the thin side and she’s VERY vocal. She will meow and make all kinds of cute little sounds. She’s a very clean kitty, bathing herself daily, and even seems to be considering joining me in the shower! She will sit in my bathroom sink and wait for me to finish showering. She is a great, very AMUSING kitty. I laugh daily at her boistrous playing. She just cracks me up! Lastly, she LOVES to give hugs when I arrive home from a long period away (work etc.). She is a great addition to the house and I look forward to enjoying her for many years to come.
Ziggy loves to pose and has integrated seamlessly with my other two cats. I look forward to getting to know his quirks! Fun!
We wanted to share a few pics of Howie's first weekend at his new home...he is so sweet amd affectionate. A little shy,but warming up very quickly! Prefers my husband and myself and our 10 yr old to the 5 and 6 yr old (understandably), but is tolerating them well. (Jumped in my lap during fireworks) Just a sweet,wonderful addition to our household!
We adopted Tristan about six years ago and can't imagine our lives without him. He is the most even tempered, loving, faithful, sweetest, smartest dog ever. He has become best friends with our 5 year old son, and they both love to get into mischief together. We always get compliments on how wonderfully behaved Tristan is and what a beautiful dog he is. One of the best decision my wife and I made was walking into AWLA to "look" at the dogs... and picking the one dog who essentially ignored us (no barking or jumping around) Thanks to AWLA our family has a furry companion for life.
Thanks again for all your help with Norm (now named Diesel). It was a long time, but he and Fancy (now named Sophie) can finally exist in the same house peacefully. They even share the same piece of furniture, occasionally (see attached picture). I've even caught them actually playing with each other - Sophie ambushed Diesel the other day instead of the other way around. So - if other adopters are struggling, you can pass along that it took us about 2 months, but now everything is great. I simply love Diesel, he is a great cat. Thanks again,
.jpg)
A month or two ago I adopted Lee Lee and chaged her name to Rosie. I just wanted to let you know that she is the most wonderful dog I've ever seen! She loves to cuddle and is very well behaved! We took her to the dog park once, and she knows she has to get in the car to go. So everytime I walk her, she wants to get in the car! She's always by me and I feel really protected. she's great with my friends too. When my friends sleptover, she slept with us and was warm and calm the whole night! She is GREAT!
When we went looking for a dog for our son, we never dreamed we would get such a wonderful dog -- I realize all people think their dog is the best -- but Harley is truly a blessing in our home -- he does not exhibit any behavioral issues. I sit and visit with other people that have dogs and the stories of their dogs behavior and training and chewing issues are terrible, I think Harley took one look at us and said in his mind "If you all take me home -- I will be the best dog ever for you guys." He sure is.
I have had my guinea pigs for one week, and Pancho and Jaime are doing fine. Every day we take them out and let them roam the kitchen for exercise. And all throughout the day I bundle them up in a blanket and take turns holding each of them. Even Pancho lets people hold him for a while. They both seem happy and healthy.
Thank you very much for finding me the perfect guinea pig pets!
After a week of the integration process and a couple weeks of supervised visits Willis grew to love his new little brother Dasher and now you can never find one with out the other. They are truly a blessing to have and we just adore them!
Yasmeen and I would like to thank all the staff at AWLA.
It was always a pleasure talking with any of you.
Looks like Morgan and Riley [on the bottom] are getting along great so far!
I just wanted to write in to send you photos of Shelby and give you an
update. She is adjusting really well and we both already love her. She's keeping her independent nature but has
found room for us in her life. She loves exploring the apartment,
watching the people, cars and dogs outside the window, and playing with
her new toys. She especially loves chasing the laser pointer around the
apartment.
And I also wanted to say thank you for all your hard work in
giving the animals such a caring temporary home. I can tell Shelby was
well taken care of in her year at the Animal Welfare League.
I wanted to give you all an update on how Teddy & Dusty (formerly "Bunny" as I say, that's what he is, not WHO he is!) - I adopted them in May 2009. They are the greatest little buns, and I don't even remember what life was like before them (although I'm pretty sure there was a lot less hay in my shoes, and I didn't have to vacuum nearly as often). Teddy likes to do the Bunny 500 race around the living room, under the couch, over the cardboard condo, and through the crinkle tunnel. Dusty prefers to run up the ramp "Grandma" built for them to get on the couch and sit on my lap while I rub his nose. Both of them LOVE to climb the furniture - I don't think there's anything as unnerving as coming out of the kitchen and finding your bunny on top of a book shelf! When I first got them home I was so worried about them chewing wires, and put protective covers on everything. Turns out, they have NO interest in wires, but instead want to survey their kingdom and look out the windows.
We adopted [Furdi (formerly Doug)] from your shelter in November and he has become the most wonderful addition to our family. Our elderly dog Maggie (also a rescue) has been the greatest beneficiary of Furdi?s love. They are best friends and she is so happy to have someone to keep her company, especially when we are at work during the day.
I adopted Juno on Thanksgiving Eve 2006. He had been left at the AWLA shelter twice but the third time is the charm for him. He was a playful five year-old golden retriever and [probably] husky mix. I wanted to have him home for the four-day weekend to give him time to bond and get used to his new home. Should not have worried: I bought a dog bed and threw it in the corner of the living room before rushing out to get him before the shelter closed. When we got home, he eagerly walked up the stairs and, upon entering, immediately spied the dog bed, ran right to it and plopped himself down as if that had been his bed all along. He was home. Juno is now eight years old, still full of energy, and he might well be the sweetest dog ever.
When we walked into the shelter, we took one look at Cecile and knew that she had to become a member of our family. She looked like our 21 year old Himalayan cat, Puff, who had died a year earlier. We don?t remember her "shelter-given" name but the card estimated her age as one year old and stated that she had been found by a family in a parking lot but when they took her home she didn?t get along with their other cat. It also indicated that she had given birth to kittens recently.
Gene is a very energetic and naughty boy! We play with him every day. He wakes us up at 5 AM, and meows away until we feed him. He loves to play with some toys that we have bought for him. We bought him some stuffed mice toys made of cloth, and when we throw them and ask him to fetch it, he runs like a mad cat with his eyes closed to chase the mice. He once ran so hard after a mouse that he collided against a wall in our home, and sat in front of it for half a minute or so, as he was probably seeing stars and the moon in broad daylight! He loves to play with any toy that has a feather on it - it probably reminds him of birds! He doesn't restrict himself to his own toys though - this morning my wife caught him playing with my wrist watch! She feeds him a snack before she leaves for the office. He probably sleeps a lot when we are gone, and is ready for his evening meal when we get home. We always feed him first - that's the very first thing we take care of when we get home! He loves to eat, but his weight is under control! Every time we go into the kitchen, he follows us and meows, hoping to convince us to feed him! Gene has given us a lot of joy! Well, except when is being unbelievably mischievous!
He was officially adopted on April 20 and is well, healthy and content.
He has melded into our family well. Jamie (the Queen at 14) readily accepted him
for a couple of weeks - and then she began to have 2nd thoughts which have
led to all-out assaults on poor Leo. This lasted for about a week or so - and now she
is better .... and he has learned to stick up for himself. He is such a wonderful,
laid back, non-confrontational feline.... who took right away to sleeping in the
master bed. And Jamie is pleased with his companionship, although sometimes
she still forgets!
Carol Anne, My wife and I want to thank you for all your advice, and time, you spent with us as we searched for a companion to our other cat who was a recent feral rescue. Although Figaro (aka Pumpkin) was not as outgoing when we saw him at the Welfare League offices, your understanding of Figaro's history, and disposition was a significant factor in our adopting him.
Here is our little Ursula, her given name, that we brought home October 4th, 2009. Thanks for taking care of her until we could bring her home!
I adopted these two cats two years ago. They are so much fun. Thought you might like to see how they look now. Their names were Tootsie and Diane, but I re-named them Laverne and Shirley. Shirley is very sweet, very gentle and soft. Laverne sits on my lap every night to get petted, she is also a very loving animal. They get along with each other well, they play together often. I am so glad I got them, thanks for taking care of them before I adopted them.
When my husband and I adopted Nugget last month, we were so exicited to add a third member to our happy little family of two. We had actually planned to name our new cat Nugget after the former mascot at our undergraduate university, so when we found one at AWLA already named Nugget, it had to be fate! When we first brought her home, we were unable to find her for the first 48 hours causing us to turn the apartment upside down-literally. Once she came out of hiding, she quickly became the center of attention in our house.
I just wanted to thank you so much for helping me find my little diamond in the ruff, Fernando (now named Leo:it reminds me of the word "LEOpard" for his spots). He is doing so well.While the first day he spent 12 hours behind my couch, he then warmed up easily.
Just so you know, I'm not one to dress up dogs but I mentioned to my mom that as it got cooler I'd need to buy Lizzy a sweater to wear. She took that to mean that she needs an outfit for every occasion (haha).Lizzy sends her best to the whole AWLA team!
