Animal Welfare League of Arlington: Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Animal Welfare League of Arlington a municipal (government-run) facility?

No. The Animal Welfare League of Arlington is a private, nonprofit, 501c-3 organization that was founded by volunteers in 1944. The Animal Welfare League of Arlington provides sheltering and animal control services under a contract with Arlington County. Other services including low-cost spay/neuter, humane education, pet loss support, emergency veterinary assistance, pet-assisted therapy, fostering, behavior helpline,and specialized medical treatment for shelter animals are all funded by donations.

Does the Animal Welfare League of Arlington work with rescue groups?

Yes. We work with private rescue groups and with other shelters to place animals where they have the best chance for adoption. We also accept animals from other shelters and rescues into our facility.

The Animal Welfare League of Arlington welcomes local breed rescue groups and area animal shelters to discuss potential transfer relationships with us. Please see our animal and pet rescue page for more information or contact our adoptions manager by calling 703-931-9241x221 or e-mail adoptionmanager@awla.org.

How can our community reduce euthanasia?

We can reduce euthanasia (there will always be situations in which euthanasia is the humane thing to do) if the entire community makes responsible choices to:
spay and neuter our companion animals;
only get pets that we can commit to for their lifetimes; and
adopt pets from shelters or rescues rather than buying them.

Does the Animal Welfare League of Arlington do anything to help people keep their pets and not have to surrender them?

Yes. We provide many services to help people keep their pets. We have eight low-cost rabies clinics each year. Our behavior helpline is available to anyone who needs advice on behavior issues. Dog obedience classes are offered at the Arlington animal shelter. We have low-cost spay/neuter and veterinary care assistance for people on limited incomes. Residents of Arlington and the City of Falls Church who are experiencing a crisis can bring a pet into our safekeeping program for free temporary care. Our humane education staff and animal control officers are available to speak at schools and community groups. Plus, there is information (and we are constantly adding more) on our Web site on pet care and behavior.

What is "fostering" and how does the Animal Welfare League of Arlington’s fostering program work?

In our fostering program trained League volunteers care for animals in their homes until the animals are ready to be returned to the League for adoption. The program primarily aids the hundreds of underage, unweaned, or undersocialized kittens that are brought to us every year. Some kittens are brought in with the mother cat, but orphaned kittens often require round-the-clock bottle feeding. We have also fostered puppies and adult dogs in this program. We always need more caring, dedicated people to become foster parents.

Does the League participate in "adoption days" at area pet stores and farmers markets?

We are committed to finding the animals in our care loving, permanent homes. Anyone who has adopted an animal knows that finding the "right" pet means taking time to get to know the animal and then talking through how it will fit into your life to be sure that the new home is permanent. Our shelter facility, evening and weekend hours, and adoption process are designed to give potential adopters and animals the time and space they need. All of our available animals are listed on this Web site as well as on Petfinder.com, 1-800-Save-a-Pet.com, Pets911.com, and PetHarbor.com.

We are fortunate to have a convenient and pleasant place for potential adopters to visit. There is space to meet pets and to discuss adoptions. We do bring animals to events in the community to give them even more exposure, but usually the adoption application takes place at our shelter.

When is the Animal Welfare League of Arlington open for pet adoptions?

We are open for visitors to meet pets and adopt on Saturday and Sunday from noon until 4 pm, on Mondays from noon until 7 pm, and Wednesday through Friday from noon until 7 pm. We are closed on Tuesdays.