THE FAIRFAX COUNTY ANIMAL SHELTER - October, 2005

Located on West Ox Road near Fair Oaks Mall, the Fairfax County Animal Shelter’s facilities are impressive, its atmosphere reassuring. A visitor, walking through a plant-filled atrium, is struck by the colorful bulletin boards, educational materials, and stacks of donated supplies. The 48 dog kennels are spacious, each large enough for a Great Dane. A separate room is devoted to cats. Its 28 stainless steel cages are filled with adult cats and kittens. In the vestibule between the cats and dogs dwell several rabbits, a parakeet, and a huge iguana. Everything is clean, and the animals have cushions and toys.

The shelter is staffed by professionals and volunteers who care deeply about animals and their welfare. Clearly, pets and people are treated with respect and understanding. An older man, in tears, returns a puppy so full of energy he can’t manage her. A couple and their cancer-ridden, soon-to-be-euthanized Labrador patiently await their appointment while an enthusiastic family, eager to take home a kitten, fills out an adoption form. A mother and her teen-age daughter clap their hands with joy because they have just found their lost Jack Russell. On the weekends, parents and children throng the shelter, looking for just the right pet.

Adoption is a major goal that is successfully met. In 2004, 2,621 animals were adopted while another 1,527 were redeemed by their owners. A stray animal with a collar is held for at least 11 days before adoption is permitted; without a collar, an animal can be adopted after 7 days. If the owner has voluntarily relinquished custody, the pet is available immediately. To qualify for adoption, you must be at least 18, own or rent a home in Northern Virginia, and agree to observe state and local laws concerning animals. You must spay or neuter your pet, get a license, keep your cat inside, and walk your dog on a leash. Other requirements include rabies shots, vet exams, food, water, shelter, and humane treatment. Because most of the approximately 4,000 animals euthanized each year have behavior problems, you are encouraged to provide training. New owners, in other words, are asked to be responsible, to treat their adopted pets with kindness.

The Fairfax County Animal Shelter offers many additional services to the community. Group support meetings are sponsored on the third Wednesday of the month. Anyone grieving for a pet or expecting a loss is invited to attend. Sharing grief with others, especially if the pet’s illness has been lengthy, helps you deal with sorrow that can be overwhelming.

Volunteers are always welcome. They are needed to walk the dogs, assist in the kennel and cat room, give tours of the Shelter, help in the front office, and counsel people about adoption. A volunteer must be at least 16, willing to take training classes and to work a minimum of 8 hours a month for 3 months. A fall training class will be held in November; deadlines for applying to later sessions are Jan. 15, March 12, and June 11. If smiles, cheeriness, and courtesy characterize happy workers, volunteers at the Shelter obviously enjoy their tasks.

Rabies is a serious problem in Northern Virginia, where foxes, raccoons, skunks, and bats may carry the virus. The Fairfax County Animal Shelter offers rabies clinics five times a year. For $10, your cat or dog can receive a lifesaving vaccination against a disease that has no cure. The last clinic of the year will be held on Nov. 13 from 12-2.

Providing information about spaying and neutering is a vital service. Several local agencies cooperate with the Animal Shelter to offer lower-cost spaying and neutering. Why is this so important? Each day 70,000 puppies and kittens are born in the United States, compared with 10,000 humans (www.doghause.com). From the Feral Cat Coalition, we learn that “a pair of breeding cats, which can have two or more litters per year, can exponentially produce 420,000 offspring over a seven-year period.” Animal welfare activist Holly Sternberg reminds us that in 2003 approximately 133,000 dogs and cats were euthanized in Virginia shelters. Moreover, “U.S. animal shelters are forced to kill an estimated 15 million homeless cats and dogs annually.” (www.feralcat.com)

Perhaps your family is looking for a new pet. Before calling a breeder who advertises in the newspaper or driving to a pet store, visit the Fairfax County Animal Shelter. There you will see at least 30 lovely cats who need homes. Across the hall in the dog kennels, you will meet Golden Retrievers and Labradors, who look lovingly at you. You’ll see many other dogs who might fit nicely into your life -- an adorable dachshund, a handsome Akita, a frisky Wirehaired Fox Terrier. You’ll also observe several more aggressive dogs, such as Pit Bulls and German Shepherds, that will probably never find homes. As you scurry past these dogs, you wish their original owners had believed in spaying, neutering, and obedience training