HRA Alliance Fall 2018

Alliance
Fall 2018
Animals. People. Community.
Caring for the
Most Vulnerable
Humane Rescue Alliance
leads the way in caring for the
animals in greatest need

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT AND CEO
Dear Friends,
Cruelty/Neglect Reports:
202-723-5730, press 1
Cruelty reports accepted 24 hours a day.
Animal-Related Emergencies:
202-576-6664, press 1
Main Number: 202-723-5730
Adoptions (New York Ave.):
202-727-5494
Adoptions (Oglethorpe): Ext. 503
Behavior and Training: Ext. 236
Development: Ext. 315
Finance: Ext. 326
Media Inquiries: Ext. 267
Special Events: Ext 323
HOURS AND LOCATIONS
71 Oglethorpe Street, NW
Washington, DC 20011
Adoption Hours: 12 p.m. – 7 p.m. daily
Closed for adoptions on Mondays.
1201 New York Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20002
Adoption Hours: 12 p.m. – 7 p.m. daily
Closed for adoptions on Mondays.
Stray animals are accepted
24 hours a day at New York Ave.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Gregory Riegle........................Chair
Steven Bralove.......................First Vice President
Lisa LaFontaine......................President and CEO
Mary Schapiro..........................Treasurer
Lois Godfrey Wye................. Secretary
Nina Benton
Priscilla Clapp
Pamela DeLoach-Jupiter
Jackie Dobranski, DVM
Louie Dweck
Theresa Fariello
Anissa Grossman
Nancy Grunfeld
Leslie Harris
William Herman
Joseph Howe
Kenton Keith
Erika Kelton
Cynthiana Lightfoot
Erica May-Scherzer
Matthew Parker, MD
Laird Patterson
Susan Ridge
Hon. Carol Schwartz
Lauren Talarico DVM, DACVIM
(Neurology/Neurosurgery)
Andrew Weinstein
Charles Weir
Jean Whiddon
Gywn Whittaker
Drew Willison
Jeff Wilson
At HRA, we are determined to make sure that the
programs and services we provide to the animals and
people in the nation’s capital are as all-encompassing as
they are relevant. It is particularly central to our mission to
care for those who are the most vulnerable.
In many cases, we also are providing support to people
as well. HRA has recently launched a number of unique,
cutting edge programs to create a safety net for those who
are most in need.
Community cats – who live outside and are cared for by
their human neighbors – are especially vulnerable. Debates about outdoor cat policy are
a significant part of the national animal welfare conversation, particularly when focused
on the interactions between cats and wildlife. Until now, these conversations have been
largely confrontational and rarely productive. They almost never result in solutions.
To that end, we have teamed up with wildlife scientists and other animal welfare
organizations to launch the DC Cat Count, a project that will delve deeper into the cat
populations – outdoor as well as indoor – so we can establish more effective, humane,
and data-driven approaches. Ultimately the study will provide a first-of-its-kind cat
census effort to inform cat welfare in our city and across the country. It will allow us to
have more productive discussions about policies and programs; ultimately, we believe
that cats and wild animals will benefit. Tremendous thanks to PetSmart Charities, the
ASPCA, Maddie’s Fund, Winn Feline Foundation, HSUS, and private funding from Ken and
Linda Slavin, and Beatrice von Gontard for funding this landmark project.
At HRA, some of the most vulnerable animals are those who are old or facing terminal
medical issues. In many places, these animals are either euthanized or destined to live
out their remaining days in a shelter. With this in mind, we created “Fospice,” a marriage of
fostering and hospice care. The program relies on dedicated volunteers who have been
trained to provide the critical, compassionate care needed for these special animals. Their
work is a tremendous inspiration.
Beyond these programs, in this issue of Alliance, you will meet will meet two animals who
came to us in critical condition. Through the care of our medical team, they have both
defied the odds. Sushi, a Rottweiler mix puppy, was found on a roadside and brought to
HRA. Struggling to breathe, she never would have survived without the intervention of our
staff and the team at Friendship Hospital for Animals.
We also share the story of Aphrodite, a tiny kitten who was brought to us with a
devastating congenital chest deformity that is often fatal. Dr. Julia Petrovitch and
veterinary students (from our partnership with the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of
Veterinary Medicine) performed a delicate and difficult surgery to correct the problem
and save her life.
We are constantly striving to give the most vulnerable animals every opportunity to live a
fulfilling life. As always, thank you for your kindness and your support of our work.
All the best,
Lisa LaFontaine
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MIGHTY APHRODITE
Groundbreaking Surgery Gives
Aphrodite a Second Chance
By Dani Rizzo, HRA Digital Director
Aphrodite’s jet black fur and piercing green
eyes are striking. Even more so is the rare and
severe medical condition this young cat fought
to overcome the first six months of her life.
At just eight weeks old, Aphrodite was surrendered
to the Humane Rescue Alliance with her two siblings.
The three kittens were transferred to a foster home
for specialized care, where, unlike her siblings,
Aphrodite struggled to thrive. On top of pneumonia
and ringworm, Aphrodite’s severe congestion and
lethargy continued to affect her quality of life.
During a follow-up exam, HRA’s medical team diagnosed
Aphrodite with pectus excavatum, a congenital
defect in which the breastbone is sunken in with a
sharp S-shaped bend. Her condition was severe,
making it increasingly difficult for her to breathe.
“This was a very unusual case,” said Dr. Suzanne
Nelson, an HRA staff veterinarian. “The corrective
surgery needed to help Aphrodite had never been
performed at HRA’s medical center, but we were
committed to getting her the care she needed.”
With support from seven third-year veterinary students
through HRA’s partnership with the Virginia-Maryland
Regional College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia
Tech (VMCVM), the team got to work on determining a
treatment plan for Aphrodite. With oversight from former
HRA veterinarian, Dr. Julia Petrovitch, who now serves as
the on-site VMCVM faculty member, surgical correction
of Aphrodite’s severe pectus excavatum was performed.
“The students were monitoring anesthesia, providing
support while placing the sutures, and some were closely
watching for any jump on the monitors, which would
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3

indicate to me that there may be a problem,” said
Dr. Petrovitch. “They were instrumental in ensuring
the surgery and post-op care were a success.”
This surgery was something the students had never seen
before. Most didn’t know what this disease was—it’s that
rare, said Dr. Petrovitch. It was a great opportunity for
them to get hands-on experience doing a case that is
different, taking advantage of HRA’s large and diverse
caseload, and the unique aspects of shelter medicine.
In addition, the overall impact of HRA’s partnership
with VMCVM includes a significant improvement in
healthcare delivery to HRA animals, and in the case
of Aphrodite, life-changing medical care for some
of our most vulnerable populations of animals.
During the corrective surgery, the team also discovered
and removed a nasal polyp, which had undoubtedly
been contributing to Aphrodite’s difficulty breathing.
A FIGHTER’S CHANCE
After more than 200 days in our care, 22 exams,
and two surgeries—this special kitten now
has the chance at the normal life our medical
and foster teams hoped was possible.
“She’s a fighter,” said Aphrodite’s foster parent, Lita
Valdez. “Going through each individual obstacle
with her was certainly difficult, but despite her
serious condition and multiple procedures and
surgeries, her zest for life remains contagious, with
everyone she meets falling in love with her.”
Thanks to Valdez, who has fostered more than 75 neonatal
kittens since 2015, many of them with specialized medical
needs, she is now just the middle of Aphrodite’s already
incredible story. When asked why she continues to foster
some of HRA’s most vulnerable animals, her answer was
simple: “Most of them wouldn’t have made it without me.”
And she’s right. HRA’s robust and generous network
of foster homes makes it possible for us to care for
more animals with a broad range of specific care
needs—from orphaned kittens who need roundthe-clock
feedings to cats and dogs for whom the
shelter environment is too stressful and does not
allow them to exhibit their true personalities.
HRA takes in an average of 30 animals per day. The team
works tirelessly to provide for all of the animals in our
care, but our shelter space and resources are limited.
Thanks to the critical work of fosters like Valdez, we are
able to create a virtual shelter in the community for our
most vulnerable animals. Coupled with our dedicated and
skilled medical team, animals like Aphrodite are given
the chance to thrive and live the full life they deserve.
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“
Despite her serious condition
and multiple procedures and
surgeries, her zest for life remains
contagious, with everyone she
meets falling in love with her.
”
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5

RETURN
TO OWNER
Lost Pets Reunited with
Families Thanks to the
Work of HRA Front Desk Staff
At the Humane Rescue Alliance, we’re dedicated to protecting animals and to placing and
keeping them with caring families. The dispatch unit of our Field Services department receives
multiple calls daily from DC residents who have lost their pets. On average, eight stray dogs
and cats come to HRA every day, many of whom have mistakenly wandered away from home.
Thanks to the hard work of our front desk staff, microchip technology, and the HRA Lost &
Found webpage, more than 450 animals have been reunited with their families so far in 2018.
HRA staff goes to great lengths to bring these families back together. The stories
included on these pages reflect a few of these wonderful reunions.
Duchess
When this 13-year-old lady was picked up by one of our
Humane Law Enforcement Officers as a stray, it was clear
she was pretty scared. Once she arrived at our New York
Avenue Adoption Center, the front desk staff got to work
tracking down her owners. Luckily, she had a microchip
and once they were called, the whole family rushed in to
pick her up.
When she heard their voices, she started crying and
couldn’t stop wagging her tail. Her family said she had
been with them in the garage while they were working on
the car. They turned around and she was gone. Because
of her age, they were shocked at how far she walked, and
they were so grateful we picked her up and brought her to
safety.
Toby:
toby
Our Animal Control Officers found four-year-old Toby loose
in an apartment building and it was clear he knew where he
was. He kept leading the officer to a specific door, looking
at them to let him inside. Unfortunately, his owners weren’t
home at the time and he was taken to the Humane Rescue
Alliance. Using his microchip information, front desk staff
successfully located his owner, who came to pick him
up shortly after. According to them, he had escaped his
apartment by jumping out an open window. Luckily, Toby
was unhurt and safely returned to his family.
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sheeba
A five-year-old cat named Sheeba was brought in by a
good Samaritan who found her wandering the streets of
DC. Thankfully, she was microchipped and our staff was
quickly able to let her owner know she was with us. By the
end of the day, Sheeba was home. On average, only about
four percent of cats are reunited with their owners each
month, and microchip technology made sure Sheeba was
one of them.
lily
Little Lily was picked up by one of our Animal Control
Officers after Metro Transit Police Officers picked her up as
a stray. She was wearing a collar with her owner’s up-todate
information, so we were able to call him as soon as she
got to HRA. He rushed over that same day to get her. They
were very happy to see each other!
cody
14-year-old Cody was found by a concerned citizen who
called animal control. Not long after he was in our care,
his mom saw him on the HRA Lost & Found webpage and
rushed in. As Cody turned out to be mostly blind and deaf,
she was grateful that he was in our care. While his hearing
might be declining, upon hearing his mom’s voice, he
perked up and jumped right into her arms!
forsha
Insanely cute cat, Forsha, was found hiding under a bush
in DC. Our Animal Control Officers picked her up and she
happily went along. Because her owner filed a lost report
with our dispatch office, HRA staff was able to reach out to
her owner and she came by just a few hours later.
She let us know that Forsha is blind, deaf, and 16 years
old. She said she had no idea how Forsha got out of the
house and because of the cat’s kidney disease, she was
desperate to find her. We’re happy to have been a part of
this joyful reunion!
breen
When one-year-old HRA alum Breen escaped from her
newly-adopted home, HRA staff quickly got to work. As part
of HRA’s Missing Animal Response Team (MART) - which
works to find recently adopted animals who go missing
- staff and volunteers handed out flyers, sent out social
media notices, and tracked her whereabouts until she was
found 12 days later. She’s safely back at home now, where
she wears a GPS tracking device just in case.
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A GOOD SAMARITAN AND DONOR SUPPORTED VETERINARY CARE
RESCUE HELPLESS PUPPY
By Alix John, HRA Communications and Digital Media Specialist
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When a good Samaritan found three-month-old Sushi, she
was struggling to breathe, panting through nearly-blue
lips. She was lying on the side of the road, unable to move.
She needed help. Luckily for Sushi, she was brought to the
Humane Rescue Alliance.
HRA staff recognized the severity of her condition, and
she was immediately transferred to Friendship Hospital for
Animals (FHA) for emergency care. After an examination, it
was found that she was likely hit by a car and had several
broken ribs, severely bruised lungs, in addition to suffering
from pneumonia.
Sushi was treated with IV fluids and antibiotics for
pneumonia. To help her breathe, she was placed in a special
tank with high levels of oxygen. Sushi was able to receive
this life-saving care, totaling nearly $4,000, through HRA’s
Sophie’s Fund, a donor-supported fund for emergency
medical care.
Sushi was able to receive this
life-saving care through HRA’s
Sophie’s Fund, a donor-supported
fund for emergency medical care.
Once released from FHA, Sushi was transferred to HRA to
heal and grow strong. While she was with us, one of the
veterinarians who worked with her at FHA couldn’t seem to
get Sushi off her mind. Dr. Shani Boone adopted sweet Sushi
once she became available. Now, they’re living out their
Happily Ever After.
“You would never know she was in such bad shape,” Dr.
Boone said. “She’s tripled in size and runs around our twoacre
yard every day!” Sushi and her story show the lengths
HRA staff, volunteers, donors, and community will go to save
the city’s most vulnerable.
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9

HRA FOSPICE PROGRAM
By Mary Ann Behme, HRA Volunteer
Fospice combines
the concept of
fostering with hospice.
Many in the community are aware of the robust foster
program at Humane Rescue Alliance (HRA). Dedicated
staff and volunteers work tirelessly to provide temporary
homes to unweaned puppies and kittens as well as adult
cats and dogs who were not doing well in a shelter setting.
These special cats, dogs, and small animals all benefit
from being out of the shelter, and because of the foster
program, their chances of being adopted increase.
But what is being done for those animals who come to
the shelter with critical illnesses and have little chance
of being adopted? Cats and dogs are sometimes
surrendered to HRA’s shelters needing end-of-life care.
Their caretakers may not be in a financial position to
provide costly medical care or the animal’s needs are
just too difficult to manage. Often these dear animals still
have a good quality of life, but keeping them in a shelter
setting is not ideal. Euthanasia can be a consideration
for surrenders that are beyond the shelter’s capacity
for humane care. This heartbreaking situation happens
more often than one might think. The shelter wants to
help, but what is the solution? In response to this need,
HRA has created a special program called “fospice”
care as an alternative to euthanasia. What is fospice?
Fospice combines the concept of fostering with hospice.
Fospice cats and dogs are still available for adoption
and this program gives them another chance to live
out their remaining time in a loving, caring home.
Fospice is a trend that is gaining popularity and volunteers
are opening their hearts and homes to these extra special
animals. Fospice parents are trained by HRA to provide
specialized care for their fospice patient. The typical
fospice is an elderly cat or dog with an illness that requires
on-going medical care. The fospice candidate could be
in kidney failure requiring daily fluids and medications,
or may have heart or mobility issues. Some dogs may
have incontinence issues requiring them to wear diapers
(speaking from experience as a fospice parent they
usually do not care!) The unifying characteristic is these
animals are still happy and enjoying life. Sometimes the
care may be as simple as providing these animals with
medications or a heating pad to keep them comfortable.
The intent of fospice is to keep the animal comfortable until
the end. HRA provides compassionate and comprehensive
support to both the animal and the fospice parent. Fospice
parents will find this experience to be deeply rewarding.
Providing a safe place for a special needs animal is
really rather simple - a soft bed, healthy meals, and lots
of love is all that is required. HRA is proud to be able
to provide fospice care for these deserving animals.
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pride is picking up!
Educational Program Focusing on Cleaning Up after Pets
Launches; Humane Rescue Alliance, Mars Petcare,
DC Mayor Muriel Bowser’s Office of the Clean City Partner in Project
It’s easy to agree that educated pet owners who clean up
after their animals are critical components of a pet-friendly
city. In June, the Humane Rescue Alliance, Washington, DC,
and Mars Petcare launched “Pride is Picking Up,” a program
to encourage pet owners to clean up after their animals.
“Pride is Picking Up” is part of Mayor Muriel Bowser’s
ongoing Clean City Initiative, designed to make
Washington, DC a cleaner, safer place to live. The
campaign is also part of the Mars BETTER CITIES FOR
PETS program, which provided funding for the effort.
“We are thrilled to launch ‘Pride is Picking Up’,” said
HRA Chief Communications Officer David M. Smith.
“DC residents will begin seeing this on social media
promoting the initiative throughout the District, as
we are focused on educating pet owners about
responsible pet ownership. With Mayor Bowser’s
initiative, this is a perfect time to launch this program.”
“DC residents love our dogs, but when we don’t clean
up after them we know our neighbors don’t like the
mess left behind,” said Julie Lawson, Director, Mayor’s
Office of the Clean City. “As we expand our efforts
to engage our residents in keeping DC clean, safe,
and healthy, we are thrilled to team up with partners
who can really help us connect with dog owners,
making DC great for people and for our pets.”
in the city. This will be a pilot concept with an eye
toward potential expansion across the city.
“We know that 82 percent of mayors across the country
agree that providing pet-friendly amenities can have an
overall positive economic impact on their community,”
said Brad Figel, Vice President of North America Public
Affairs for Mars, Incorporated and a 30 year resident of DC.
“The work the District is doing to encourage responsible
pet ownership and provide amenities for Washington, DC
residents to clean up after their pets, are great examples
of commitments we hope to see from all cities to create
more pet-friendly amenities and policies for residents.”
“Pride is Picking Up” lawn signs, reminding DC residents
that picking up their pet’s waste is the right thing to do, are
already being placed throughout DC. To obtain a lawn sign,
visit www.humanerescuealliance.org/yardsign.
MAYOR’S OFFICE OF THE
CLEAN
CITY
The program includes an educational messaging
campaign focused on encouraging the public to
enjoy the city with their companion dog responsibly,
including picking up waste and instilling good pet
behavior. Ten pet amenity stations wrapped with
educational messaging will be placed in key locations
“
We are thrilled to team up with
partners who can really help us
connect with dog owners, making
DC great for people and for our pets.
”
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11

clear the shelters
On Saturday, August 18 th , the Humane
Rescue Alliance once again joined NBC4 and
Telemundo to host NBCUniversal Owned
Television Stations’ Clear the Shelters fourth
annual, nationwide pet adoption drive.
HRA adopted 147 animals in a single day,
including long-term resident cats, dogs, and
small animals. HRA offered the public feewaived
adoptions as part of the nationwide
Clear the Shelters initiative that seeks to
find new homes for homeless pets. Potential
adopters completed the normal application
process, including interviews with adoptions
counselors. HRA’s two adoption centers both
had lines formed hours prior to the 10 a.m.
opening.
Busy throughout the day, the adoption
centers were a hub of activity, all
documented by NBC4 both live and online.
Since 2015, Clear the Shelters has
resulted in more than 230,000 pets finding
new homes through an unprecedented
partnership between the NBCUniversal
Owned Television Stations and hundreds
of animal shelters located all across the
country and in Puerto Rico. The nationwide
day of action literally emptied dozens of
animal shelters across the country and
inspired local communities to take action
and open their homes to animals in need.
12 ALLIANCE

Y
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13

DC Cat Count, a collaborative
project between animal welfare
organizations and wildlife scientists,
will develop humane cat
population management tools
here kitty, kitty!
DC Cat Count, a collaboration between HRA, other animal
welfare organizations, and wildlife scientists, was launched
in July with a goal of identifying the number of cats in
the Washington, DC region. This program will ultimately
develop humane, data-driven cat population management
programs in communities across the nation. The DC Cat
Count is a three-year initiative designed to count the
cats who live outdoors, indoors, and in the animal shelter
system in Washington, DC and to understand how cats
move between these segments.
“The management of cats in communities can be a
controversial topic. The reality is that those in the fields
of welfare, ecology, conservation, and sheltering have
a common long-term goal of fewer free-roaming cats
on the landscape. This joint effort will provide scientific
management programs to help achieve that goal,
locally, and nationally,” said HRA President and CEO, Lisa
LaFontaine.
The DC Cat Count is an interdisciplinary collaboration of
organizations and individuals with a shared interest in
finding practical, humane solutions to conflicts between
cats, wildlife, and people in our communities. The principal
collaborators are the Humane Rescue Alliance, the
Humane Society of the United States, PetSmart Charities,
and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. The
tools and data developed in the project will bring people
together and help serve the interests of all who care for
and support cats and wildlife in their communities.
The cat population is an interconnected and dynamic
network comprised of unowned cats living outdoors,
owned cats who may live indoors or outdoors, and shelter
cats who often move into or out of the other population
segments. The DC Cat Count project is composed of
several distinct but complementary modules designed to
characterize all of these population segments and how
they interact with one another.
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THE MODULES INCLUDE:
• Using state-of-the art camera trap methods to obtain the
best possible estimate of outdoor cat populations in the
Washington, DC study area.
• Using household surveys to estimate the size of the owned
cat population, and to determine how much time owned cats
spend outdoors versus indoors.
• Quantifying the shelter cat population, including all intake
and outflow rates.
• Counting outdoor cats using simple transect surveys and
colony inventories, and comparing these results with the
outdoor estimates obtained using more intensive camera trap
survey.
• Incorporating all data into a statistical model describing the
interactions between population segments, and identifying
the most effective intervention points and management
strategies.
• Developing, testing, and validating a set of practical
and informative tools, protocols, and guidelines that help
other organizations “count cats” and improve their mission
effectiveness.
The DC Cat Count will benefit animal shelters nationwide
by providing better metrics to assess whether shelters are
meeting programmatic goals and allocating resources
effectively. For wildlife scientists, developing standardized,
cat-specific, and scientifically-valid methods to monitor cat
populations and assess management impacts will help break
the impasse that has impeded efforts on all sides to reduce
free-roaming cat populations.
“Up until now, cat advocates and wildlife scientists haven’t had
a ‘common language’ as a basis for discussion. Developing
informative, objective, and mutually-acceptable ways to
measure progress will be a key to better collaboration among
stakeholders in the future,” said Dr. John Boone, research
director at Great Basin Bird Observatory and consultant to the
Humane Society of the United States.
Funding for the project has been secured through financial
contributions from PetSmart Charities, American Society for
the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Maddie’s Fund, Winn
Feline Foundation, the Humane Society of the United States,
and the Humane Rescue Alliance.
More information on the DC Cat Count is available at
www.dccatcount.org.
HRA’S PET
PANTRY
Providing Assistance to
DC Pet Owners and
Keeping Pets in Homes
Created to support DC residents in caring for their
pets, HRA’s Pet Pantry program was established to
provide free pet food to those who indicate need.
The food distributed is intended to supplement
the pet’s monthly food needs and to reduce the
financial burden associated with pet care.
Many pet owners struggle at times to provide
food for their pets, which can lead to surrendering
the animal to a shelter, putting these animals at
risk of becoming homeless. In HRA’s continuing
effort to keep pets in homes rather than shelters,
the Pet Pantry was established to address this
potential problem.
The Pet Pantry is supported by public donations of
pet food, which is a great way to support the pets
of DC. Interested supporters who want to donate
pet food to the Pet Pantry can contribute dry food
bags between 3 and 7 lbs.
Food can be dropped off or shipped to:
HRA PET PANTRY
71 Oglethorpe St., NW | Washington, DC 20011
Food may be dropped off between 12:00 p.m. and
7:00 p.m.
The Pet Pantry operates on a regular schedule,
with designated times and days of the week
during which pet owners can visit to pick up
food for their animals. Any DC resident who is a
pet owner is eligible for the program, provided
they bring a proof of DC residency the first time
they pick up food. Residents simply fill out an
enrollment form and then receive an identification
card that is provided each subsequent visit.
Residents may pick up food once per month for
each enrolled animal.
For more information on HRA’s Pet Pantry program,
visit www.humanerescuealliance.org/petpantry.
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partner spotlight
By Kit Gartland, HRA Corporate and Foundation Giving Manager
GEICO
HELPING HRA’S PROGRAMS AND SERVICES reACH THE COMMUNITY
With a spokeslizard like the Gecko, you know GEICO cares
about animals. GEICO, which is headquartered in Chevy
Chase, Maryland, has been providing opportunities for its
associates to help out in local communities for decades
through its GEICO Cares program. This community
outreach includes partnering with the
Humane Rescue Alliance (HRA) since
2013 to sponsor signature events,
host pet adoptions, and raise funds to
support HRA’s work.
This May, HRA was selected as a
beneficiary of a GEICO Cares Paws for
a Cause fundraising effort which raised
over $6,700 to support HRA and other local animal rescue
organizations. As part of this partnership, HRA brought
adoptable animals to the GEICO campus for an on-site
adoption event. GEICO associates spent the day snuggling
dogs and cats and learning more about how HRA cares for
some of the most vulnerable animals in our community.
HRA is also proud to welcome GEICO as one of the top
sponsors for the DC Walk for the Animals, slated for
September 22 at Yards Park. Their walk team, Gecko Paws,
will be out in force to represent GEICO and help raise
additional funds to support HRA.
“At GEICO, we’ve created Paws for a Cause as part of
our corporate GEICO Cares program.
Our support focuses on pet adoption
and fundraising events. As in the past,
we partner with the Humane Rescue
Alliance and count on their support,” says
GEICO’s Vice President of Public Affairs,
Rynthia Rost. “Our associates are a pet’s
best friend. They really enjoy having the
pets on site and the adoption events
bring out big crowds. This year GEICO was named a top
fundraising sponsor for the DC Walk for the Animals and it’s
the enthusiasm of our associates that makes this program
work.”
HRA is honored to count GEICO as a fantastic corporate
partner. The commitment of GEICO’s associates to create
positive change helps HRA care for even more animals in
and around the Washington, DC community.
BENEFITING THE
Bark Ball
31ST
ANNUAL
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2018 WASHINGTON HILTON WASHINGTON, DC
TICKETS ON SALE NOW AT BARKBALL.ORG!
WEBSITE
FACEBOOK
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facebook.com/humanerescuealliance
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HRA0918FALL