Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation

Arlingtonian starts pet waste removal service that scoops poop for a cause

By Jo DeVoe

Sponsored by Monday Properties and written by ARLnow, Startup Monday is a weekly column that highlights Arlington-based startups, founders, and local tech news. Monday Properties is proudly featuring 1515 Wilson Blvd in Rosslyn. 

A longtime Arlingtonian has launched a company that seeks to provide a more personalized pooch poop removal service.

Wes Clough, a Gulf Branch resident who is a partner at a handful of local restaurants, founded Poop Patroller this year after running into some service quality issues with his previous pet waste removal company.

“My wife and I, we have dogs, we’re busy and to try and make our lives easier, we had a pet waste removal service for almost 10 years,” he said. “I watched that company get bigger, and in my experience, the service deteriorated.”

He would come home to his gate left open, and one time, his dog got out as a result.

“I thought, there has got to be a better way,” said Clough.

Running Poop Patroller, Clough focuses on customer service by, for example, using software to keep clients updated on the status of the service, including push notifications to confirm that their gates have been closed after the poop is scooped.

While some people cannot fathom the idea of outsourcing this work, he says there is strong interest among pet owners. He compared it to landscaping, with some people firmly in the camp of cutting their own grass and others hiring gardeners as soon as they have a yard.

The Poop Patroller car (courtesy Wes Clough)

The company uses compostable bags and donates a percentage of its gross revenue to the Lost Dog & Cat Foundation. Clough, a Yorktown High School graduate, moved back to Arlington after six years in the Navy and says he has watched the nonprofit grow, experiencing the good it does firsthand.

“We have adopted three dogs through them and have donated as well,” Clough said. “It seems like a focused organization that does a good job.”

He says steering some revenue to the nonprofit and using environmentally friendly bags is important because his clientele care about their money going to good causes and companies that share their values.

Running Poop Patroller, his first venture of this nature, is a big departure from being a partner in restaurants, he says.

“I’m finding social media interaction is more important than… before,” he said. “Also, because I’m doing this on my own, versus with partnerships, everything I have to do I have to do myself or hire people to help with startup and business development.”

Currently, the only patroller is Clough, who is able to handle the workload part-time. As he gains more clientele in Northern Virginia and Northwest D.C., he says he hopes he can hire some employees. Today, most of his clients are in Arlington, with a few in Alexandria.

“It would be great to have several full-time employees, I like the idea of creating jobs,” he said. “I’m not in a rush, though, I’m okay with growing organically.”

A pooch and a poop picker-upper (courtesy Wes Clough)

Dozens of rescued beagles will soon be up for adoption through locally-based organizations

By Matt Blitz
1/6

After spending all of their lives in kennels, nearly 70 beagles will soon be up for adoption through Arlington-based organizations.

The Animal Welfare League of Arlington and Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation began welcoming a number of rescued beagles into their facilities last week.

The dogs are now going through medical exams and being given a chance to adjust to their new life before being adopted out, both organizations told ARLnow.

There’s no set timeline yet for when the beagles will be ready to go to their forever homes.

Last year, inspections at an Envigo breeding and research facility in Cumberland, Virginia where thousands of beagles were being housed turned up dozens of animal welfare violations.

Finally, in July of this year, a judge ordered the release of thousands of beagles from the facility, with authorities having two months to find the dogs new homes. The plight of the beagles became an international story.

Several local shelters have lended a paw to the rescue efforts. AWLA in Shirlington took in 10 beagles while LDCRF, the non-profit beneficiary of Arlington restaurants Lost Dog Cafe and Stray Cat Bar & Grill, greeted 56 beagles at its Falls Church care center. The nearby Fairfax County Animal Shelter also took in 16 beagles.

Now the focus shifts to helping the beagles adjust to a world they’ve never encountered before.

“Nearly every experience for the beagles rescued from the mass breeding facility is a first,” Heidi Gioseffi from Lost Dog told ARLnow. “First sniffs of fresh air, first sunlight on their faces, first splash through clean water in a kiddie pool, first cuddles from caring humans, first chew toys, first ambling run outdoors, first collar with a name tag, first NAME to replace a code tattooed for life on the underside of their ear, first attempt to climb steps into a house. For volunteers witnessing their firsts is a joy one cannot fully describe. It is truly uplifting.”

While it can be a joy to watch these dogs experience all these new things, it also can be frightening for the animals. Chelsea Jones, AWLA’s spokesperson, says things like toys, dog parks, and, even, floors might be too much for them to handle right now.

“What might be super fun to a regular dog, might be kind of scary to these dogs that have never experienced it before,” Jones said. “So, we are just going really slow and kind of letting them experience the world at their own pace.”

Most of the dogs with AWLA are now in foster homes so caretakers can learn how they adapt and, so far, Jones said they are all doing “surprisingly well” with no major behavior challenges to report beyond not being house trained.

“They are beagles, though,” she laughed. “They do like to bark and are pretty chatty.”

That’s why AWLA named all of its beagles after percussion instruments, she said.

(more…)

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Local Dog Adoption Demand is High — “Kim Williams, who volunteers for the Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation of Arlington, Virginia, has tapped into a puppy pipeline of sorts to bring some of Georgia’s homeless pet population to the mid-Atlantic region where they are bombarded by requests for dogs to adopt.” [WMAZ]

American Reducing Service at DCA — “American Airlines is discontinuing service to more than 20 destinations from Reagan National Airport in January, according to new data reported by the Official Airline Guide. Cities and/or airports dropped range from major (New York-JFK; Las Vegas; St. Louis; Minneapolis-St. Paul) to smaller (Jackson, Miss.; Manchester, N.H.; Greensboro, N.C.). Many were served just once or twice per day.” [InsideNova]

Land Transfer May Speed Bridge Project — “Interesting: NPS is ‘supportive’ of conveying four acres of parkland to VA and DC to construct the Long Bridge(s), rather than just permitting. That would likely speed design and construction, and could result in a ped/bike span that doesn’t compromise as much on width and lighting in order to conform to NPS interests.” [@CarFreeHQ2/Twitter]

Local Wildlife Caught on Camera — “Arlington resident Levi Novey and his wife Alicia have captured footage documenting quite an array of critters passing through their yard via a fence that Levi has dubbed a ‘wildlife superhighway…’ So far their fence camera has photographed foxes, raccoons, mice, housecats, chipmunks, and lots of birds and possums.” [WJLA]

Redistricting Commission Applications Open — “Beginning Monday, Virginians will have a month to apply for one of eight public seats on the state’s new redistricting commission, which has begun its work with a panel of retired judges setting out plans for the application process.” [Washington Post]

Stormy Day Today — “Get ready for a wild weather finish to November. A strong storm system develops and moves through… bringing a mix of hazards to our area in a short time frame, capped off by the potential for strong to possibly severe storms Monday afternoon. No specific warnings or advisories have been issued, but expect a good soaking of one to two-plus inches of rain (and some wild temperature swings).” [Capital Weather Gang, Twitter]

New ‘Rescue Ale’ at Lost Dog Cafe Supports Local Pet Rescue Efforts

By Angela Woolsey

An Arlington pet rescue and a Dulles brewery have joined forces for a unique fundraiser that will help find new homes for dogs and cats in need.

The Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation has partnered with Solace Brewing Company for the second year in a row to produce a special Rescue Ale that will be sold to raise money for the nonprofit, which is dedicated to rescuing homeless, abused, and neglected pets and facilitating their adoption.

This year’s Solace-produced Rescue Ale is an India Pale Ale brewed with mosaic and Amarillo hops at 7% alcohol by volume. It will be available for sale at the Solace Brewery on Oct. 8 and at all Lost Dog Café locations — including on Columbia Pike and in Westover — starting at 5 p.m. on Oct. 9.

The collaboration enables the rescue foundation to continue an annual tradition of working with local breweries despite challenges caused by the need for social distancing during the pandemic.

“Our annual fundraiser has always been an extremely important driver for engaging with the broader community, garnering resources, and ultimately gaining supporters that strengthen our important rescue mission,” Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation public relations manager Kim Williams said. “With the generosity of Solace Brewing Co., the Rescue Ale tradition is still alive, and people can enjoy a charitable beer in the comfort of their home while supporting a worthy cause.”

A portion of all Rescue Ale sales will be donated to the foundation.

The Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation first started working with local breweries to develop special Rescue Ales in 2017 when the nonprofit partnered with Alexandria’s Port City Brewing Company.

Owned by Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation founders Pam McAlwee and Ross Underwood, the Lost Dog Café originated in Arlington and now also has locations in McLean, Dunn Loring, and Alexandria.

In the past, the Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation hosted large fundraising events like a “Paws Vegas” carnival held at Solace Brewing Company last October, but because crowds currently pose public health risks, the nonprofit has pivoted instead to an auction with tickets for a private tour of Solace Brewing Company.

On top of a guided tour, ticket winners will get to see the canning process for this year’s Rescue Ale and receive a catered lunch, a four-pack of the Rescue Ale, Lost Dog Café and Solace Brewing Co.-branded pint glasses, and a Rescue Ale 2020 T-shirt.

Bidding on the “Behind the Brew: Rescue Ale Canning Day Fundraiser” tour started on Sept. 23 and closes at 12:00 p.m. on Oct. 26.

The Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation is also holding an outdoor adoption event at Solace Brewing Company on Oct. 10. Masks and adherence to social distancing rules will be required.

The foundation, which has a rescue care center facility in Falls Church, says it has rescued 2,183 pets and facilitated the adoptions of 2,015 dogs and cats in 2020 so far.

Arlington Dog Rescue Group Issues Urgent Call for New Foster Homes

By Alex Koma

An Arlington pet rescue group says it has an urgent need for foster homes right now, with an influx of dogs displaced by hurricanes headed their way.

The Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation is putting out a new call for people willing to take in a dog on a temporary basis, in order to clear some room in the group’s kennel to welcome the new arrivals.

Colleen Learch, a member of the group’s Board of Directors, told ARLnow that about 20 dogs arrived yesterday (Thursday), and her organization would love the chance to focus on those dogs, at least until it can arrange a few more adoptions. She says Lost Dog already has more than 100 dogs currently in its kennel, and the new arrivals will test the limits of their space.

“We really pride ourselves on having a strong volunteer network, and we rely heavily on that to deal with dogs that need to be in a home versus in a kennel, so we’re just putting a call out for as many foster homes as we can identify,” Learch said. “These dogs range from puppies to seniors… and they’re just looking for a home to call their own.”

Learch says the dogs come to Arlington from the Houston area, where her group has partnered with other animal rescue organizations to find homes for dogs displaced by Hurricane Harvey. Even though the powerful storm struck the area more than a year ago, Learch says the area is still feeling the impacts.

“Natural disasters devastate an area for a long time, that includes their impact on animals,” Learch said. “But we pledge ongoing support for these areas, and we’re there for them, and that’s really one of the beauties of it, bonding together and supporting these communities.”

Anyone looking to become a foster parent simply needs to fill out an online form on the foundation’s website, and Learch says her group offers a brief counseling session to prepare people to foster the animals.

But she also encouraged anyone interested in adopting the newly arrived dogs as well to give them a look, or even prepare for adoption by experimenting with a foster dog first.

“It’s a really good chance for people looking to try it out for a couple days or a week,” Learch said. “We always hear from people that so many dogs in Arlington are Lost Dog alumni, and we love that.”

Photo via @LostDogRescue

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Arson Not Suspected in Ashton Heights Blaze — The house fire that critically injured an occupant of a house on N. Ivy Street in Ashton Heights “doesn’t appear to be malicious,” says the Arlington County Fire Department. The blaze caused about $300,000 in damage to the home. [Twitter]

Obama, Tillerson Join Army Navy Country Club — Former President Barack Obama and current Secretary of State Rex Tillerson both joined Army Navy Country Club earlier this year. [Washingtonian]

Homes in Arlington Get Pricier — “A total of 237 properties went to closing in September, up 8.7 percent from the 218 transactions a year before… With the increase in sales came a nearly identical hike in average sales price, which was up 8.8 percent to $640,441.” [InsideNova]

Police: Arlington Woman Left Stroller in Middle of Road — “A 19-year-old Arlington woman was arrested on Sunday after she allegedly left an infant in a stroller in the middle of the road in Woodbridge while she bit and assaulted an acquaintance during an argument.” [Prince William Times]

Lidl Struggling to Break Into U.S. Market — Lidl, the German grocery chain with its U.S. headquarters in Crystal City, is reportedly pulling out of a lease deal in Prince George’s County, Md. as it struggles to gain market share in the U.S. [Washington Business Journal]

Lost Dog Taking in Shelter Pets from Puerto Rico — The Arlington-based Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation is among the local organizations taking in shelter pets from hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico. [WJLA]

Grohl References ‘Mario’s Pizza’ at D.C. Show — Northern Virginia native Dave Grohl said “we’re all going to Mario’s Pizza” while wrapping up a Foo Fighters performance at The Anthem in D.C. last night. The band will headline the venue’s grand opening tonight. [Twitter]

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Rosslyn Metro station (Flickr pool photo by Wolfkann)

Man Accused of Attempted Rape in Office — An Arlington man is accused of trying to rape a woman in an office near Columbia Pike. Police say Michael McKeever, 31, entered an office on the 900 block of S. Monroe Street on Friday morning and tried to rape a female employee. The woman fought McKeever off, police say, and he was later arrested at his home. [Arlington County]

Sinkhole at Arlington National Cemetery — Crews are working to fix a 5 or 6 foot deep sinkhole on the grounds of Arlington National Cemetery. The sinkhole formed on a road in the cemetery due to a collapsed culvert, officials said. [Washington Post]

Record Adoptions for Lost Dog & Cat Rescue — A total of 323 dogs and cats were adopted out by Lost Dog & Cat Rescue in June, a record for the Arlington-based rescue organization. [Sun Gazette]

Flickr pool photo by Wolfkann

Race Series for Dogs and Humans will Benefit Rescue Animals

By Katie Pyzyk

There are a lot of local races, but one is encouraging runners to celebrate the dog days of summer with a four-legged friend.

The Lost Dog 5K race series will feature low-key evening races on four Fridays later this summer — August 3, 10, 17 and 24. They begin at 6:30 p.m. at Bluemont Park and benefit the Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation. Each runner’s bib will have a tag good for one complimentary beverage at the post-race party at Stray Cat Cafe (5866 N. Washington Blvd).

Although dogs are encouraged to participate, it’s not necessary for humans to bring one. Each dog will get its own timing tag. There will be prizes for top dogs according to weight class, and for top humans according to age group.

Another unique feature is that runners who don’t have a pooch of their own can “Rent-A-Mutt” for $10, and help one of the Lost Dog rescues get a little exercise. There will be about 10 dogs per week available for rental on a first come, first served basis. Rental dogs will not be timed.

In order to participate, dogs must meet the following criteria:

  • Must be well-socialized and friendly with people and dogs of all sizes.
  • Must remain leashed and under the control of a human at all times.
  • Must be current on rabies vaccinations.

Race organizers reserve the right to remove any dog behaving aggressively towards people or dogs.

Due to course restrictions, registration is limited. Registration is $50 for humans or $65 for a human/canine team, and can be done online. There is also a video online answering questions about running with a dog during the summer.

Vote for Shelter Pooches in Virtual Dog Show

By Katie Pyzyk

The Animal Welfare League of Arlington (AWLA) has entered a wacky video into a virtual dog show contest.

The Best in Shelter contest highlights dogs that have had a hard time being adopted. Four area shelters were chosen to participate, and must submit a video submission for each canine entrant. Visitors to the website vote for their favorite dog based on the video, photos and listed information.

In addition to fulfilling the goal of finding homes for the featured dogs, the shelter with the winning pooch will receive a $50,000 donation. The second and third place winners will receive $25,000 and $15,000, respectively.

Longtime D.C. area resident and New York Times bestselling author Martha Grimes started Best in Shelter last year to bring attention to animal shelters. She is providing the prize money.

“I’m happy that the four animal shelters participating in Best in Shelter will help demonstrate that shelter dogs are the equal to purebred dogs when it comes to looks, love, and loyalty and would be a happy addition to any family,” Grimes said. “We hope this will encourage people who have not considered adopting a pet from a shelter to visit their local shelter to look at the dogs.”

AWLA made the special video (above) for Gaston, a four-year-old American Bulldog mix, because he has been there for so long. Shelter officials hope the publicity from this contest might help to find Gaston a good home. AWLA’s other entrants are Molly, Pooh Bear and Rumor.

Another Arlington-based organization, Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation is also a contender for the prize money. It entered Daphne, Harley, Cowboy and Pepper.

Voting takes place from now until 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, June 17. Anyone may vote, but there is a limit of one vote per day. Winners will be announced sometime next week.