Juli Bowman is the Youth Volunteer Coordinator for the Humane Society of Loudoun County. Recently, she has been particularly busy working with students on their senior service projects in numerous Loudoun County high schools. Learn more about these projects and Juli’s contribution to HSLC.

How long have you been a volunteer with the Humane Society of Loudoun County (HSLC) and how did you first get involved?

I started volunteering along with my kids several years ago. We encountered an HSLC adoption drive outside of Rust Library and spent some time looking at the cats and speaking with the volunteers. We were already fostering kittens with the Loudoun County Animal Shelter, but I saw this as another way to get involved – getting more out into the community, helping animals. HSLC really welcomed my kids (and put them to work!). My children loved working with me at adoption drives and events such as the Flower and Garden Festival.

What are the rewards and challenges of being an HSLC volunteer?

It thrills me to hear when an HSLC animal gets adopted. We have many goals as a part of our mission, but to me the knowledge that there is one less homeless animal and one more happy family member is rewarding news. I like to feel that I am, even if indirectly, a part of that.

It’s challenging to know that we cannot do it all. Keeping that fact from becoming a demotivator takes mental and emotional energy. I say this knowing that there are many HSLC volunteers who put in a lot more time and effort than I do, but I think we all feel this from time to time. However, I remind myself that every little bit helps. We can take a moment to celebrate a rescue or an adoption or an injured or sick animal pulling through, and that’s enough to gather new energy to do more.

Please share a recent initiative you supported.

I am both proud and thankful to have participated in senior service project programs in multiple Loudoun County high schools these past few weeks. HSLC sponsored seniors from the Freedom High School Capstone Program, the Loudoun County High School Raider Outreach Program, the Loudoun Valley High School Capstone Program, and the Tuscarora High School Capstone Program. In these programs, seniors gain foundational skills through short-term externships during the final weeks of the school year. Because HSLC is all-volunteer organization and does not have a shelter or central location, the independent project model is a perfect fit.

What role did you play in this initiative?

I provided initial and ongoing as-needed mentorship and guidance, while the students took on everything from planning, scheduling, time management, interaction with businesses and citizens of the community, all without direct supervision.

Please tell me about the specific service projects.

This year, six student groups opted to complete independent service projects of their own choosing with HSLC. Projects included the following:

1. At Freedom High School, Brennan George, Mia McKinley, Sophia McKinley, and Tim McKinley sponsored a school-wide pet food drive for the Loudoun Pet Pantry.
2. A group from Loudoun County High School consisting of Daniel Butler, Jack Hartmann, Collin Hughes, Matthew Martwinski, George Taliaferro, Ryan Vinci, Ryan Wigglesworth, and Jared Williams created a public service announcement video to convey the message “Adopt, Don’t Shop”.
3. Loudoun County High School’s Katrina Cokain, Alexandra Saravia, and Sarah Van Hook ran a pet food drive for the Loudoun Pet Pantry in front of a local pet supply store.
4. From Loudoun Valley High School, Riley Herr and Meagan Kennedy created a kit for HSLC’s humane education outreach program, making it easier for our volunteers to deliver talks to local youth groups.
5. Tuscarora High School’s Quinn Herbine, Sarah Howorth, Olivia Shaw, and Lindsey Sestak conducted an adoption campaign to get the word out about a few animals that have been with HSLC for quite a while.
6. Also from Tuscarora, Adriana Apintiloaiei, Sydney Bowman, Rosie Hackman, and Alex Nichols designed and constructed a cat tree for HSLC to use in fundraising. They also raised extra cash for HSLC through a bake sale.

What are the benefits of these projects?

All of these projects benefitted the animals in our community in many different ways, including funding, food, finding homes, and getting the word out to the community about HSLC and helping animals. In addition, these students got an opportunity to practice organizational, professional, and life skills through independent volunteer work.

What recommendations do you have for younger students?

It can be difficult for youth under 18 years old to find opportunities to volunteer with animals. HSLC offers kids the chance to help animals in the community through independent, group, or family projects. They can make a big difference through pet food drives, fundraising, awareness, and more. This type of work cultivates planning, communication, and time management skills, while at the same time provides for flexible hours and adaptability to any age.

Is there any advice you could share with someone, adult or youth, who is considering becoming a volunteer with HSLC?

HSLC can be quite a flexible organization to work with – there are so many varied ways to help. Volunteers of any age and capacity can and do make an impact through this organization. We are always looking for fresh ideas and enthusiasm. From very young children conducting fundraisers and awareness campaigns, to the full-time employee/parent/student who can lend technical skills, to the full-time volunteer who fosters and runs events, HSLC truly appreciates everything you do for animals.

The Career and Technical Education (CTE) Department at Blue Ridge Middle School in Purcellville held a pet food drive for us as part of their One to the World Project. They called it Bulldog’s BFF because their mascot is the Bulldog. All three CTE grades, 6-8, participated.

6th Grade Keyboarding students conducted background research, made promotional posters, and wrote to local merchants asking for gift cards to promote the food drive. The 7th and 8th grade Family and Consumer Sciences classes produced cat toys. The 7th grade TechEd classes created a logo for branding purposes and the 8th Grade Manufacturing students are made food and water bowl holders.

They collected 3 large bins of food plus toys and the pet food and water bowl holders.
Great job Bulldogs!

 

Penelope’s wonderful adoption story demonstrates how life for a homeless animal can turn from gloomy to bright when people care. This sweet and slightly shy bobtail kitty came to HSLC from an animal shelter around the beginning of 2014. Fosters were scarce at the time so she was placed in a kitty condo at one of our partner pet stores.  Our volunteer caring for her at the store started calling her Doodle Bug because of her cute roly-poly shape and it stuck. But we had no idea what a gem we had taken in.

Doodle Bug never really seemed comfortable in the condo.  Soon she began “acting out” at our adoption events, growling/hissing at the other cats and not letting people pet her. We were concerned that there was something wrong. When she developed a condition that required medication twice a day, the kitty condo volunteer decided to take her home to foster her until she was well.

Once in a home situation Doodle Bug seemed a little lost. We have no idea how long she was living in a cage before coming to us but it was obvious that she had forgotten how to be a cat. She had to be shown how to play with toys. Sitting on the floor, her foster had to pick her up and set her in her lap the first time to show her it was okay to ask for love. And then the drooling started. Doodle Bug was so happy being out of a cage and getting attention and love that she would start drooling when she purred. Drooling a lot – to the point a towel was needed.

After a couple of weeks in her foster home, Doodle Bug became the friendliest kitty ever at adoption events. She would reach out her paw at people passing by for them to show her some attention. The transformation was amazing. Then one day she caught the eye of Audrey Weinstein. We were using the pet store break room to let prospective adopters spend some time with the cats so Audrey, her friend, and our volunteer sat down at their table and Doodle Bug was set on the table for everyone to see and pet. Doodle Bug immediately walked over the Audrey and climbed into her lap. That sealed the deal.

Audrey and John Weinstein, residents of South Riding, have always named their cats after Greek mythological figures.  After the untimely passing of Medusa, Audrey found Doodle Bug. What first drew them to this bobtail cat were her beautiful big eyes and her gentle disposition.  She was promptly renamed Penelope, in honor of the beautiful and virtuous wife of Odysseus of Odyssey fame.

Penelope’s first night at home was eventful and set a pattern that continues to this day.  As soon as the lights were turned off, Audrey and John heard commotion downstairs: running and loud meowing.  Moments later, Penelope had come upstairs and started meowing at the door to the bedroom.  Penelope had “killed” a toy mouse from her toy bin and brought this trophy upstairs.  Every night, for the last four years, shortly after the lights are turned off, Penelope noisily kills the same toy mouse and carries it upstairs to Audrey and John.  She has also “killed” toy birds and even a pair of earmuffs, but the little green and red mouse is her favorite victim. No sooner than she brings her trophy upstairs, she jumps on the bed to be rewarded with admiring words and petting.  She loves to settle in to join Audrey and John when reading and sleeping.

Perhaps Penelope’s most endearing quality is her gentleness and love for children.  She is often with Audrey and John’s 7 grandchildren, who range from ages 2-11. Penelope loves the additional attention and is always in the middle of the chaos.

Penelope is incredibly photogenic.  John, a police lieutenant at Northern Virginia Community College’s police department, started to feature pictures of Penelope with monthly safety tips in the department’s monthly Public Safety Newsletter.  Readership has increased by a factor of three.  Her title on campus is “Penelope, the NOVA Police Cat” and she has become famous.  People are constantly asking police dispatch which campus she’s at because they want to meet and pet her.  The standard response, that she’s on patrol, is more engaging than she’s home, sound asleep and waiting for nightfall when she will kill again.

Penelope, the NOVA Police Cat, also has her own Instagram account, #penelopenovapolicecat, where she provides daily safety tips.  Check her out.

Of course, Audrey and John consider Penelope to be unique, but in fact, she is just like so many other loving animals at the Humane Society of Loudoun County, just waiting to love and be loved.

No need to be bored this summer – help animals!

Kids can make a big difference in the lives of animals in our communities. All it takes is deciding what you want to do, making a plan and then carrying it out. Talk to some friends and ask them to help. You’ll get more done and have a lot of fun at the same time!
Not sure what to do? Here are some suggestions.

Organize a pet food drive

The Loudoun Pet Pantry is always accepting dog and cat food to help families in need to keep their beloved pets. The summer is a very slow time for donations so this would be a really big help.  We specifically need small bags of dog and cat food (3 to 8 lbs) and any size cans. CLICK HERE to visit our website for more information. Contact HSLC at petpantry@humaneloudoun.org and we can pick up the food you collect.

Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Get friends and family to help with the collection and in spreading the word about your food drive. Set a goal and let everyone know about it. Use social media to generate buzz around your effort.
• Decide on a theme and a time frame. Be creative in naming your event –
  • Hunger Walk, Run, Bike; Dance-a-thon or Hoop-a-thon: Have sponsors pledge food donations for each mile completed, how many baskets made, etc.
  • Celebration Presents Drive: Guests bring a food donation instead of bringing gifts to a birthday party, pool party, etc.
  • Wash Away Hunger: Organize a car wash or dog wash and the payment is a food item donation.
  • Fill it Up! Fill an inflatable pool, or other things with food.

Contact HSLC at petpantry@humaneloudoun.org and we can pick up the food you collect.

Raise money for animals

Animal rescue groups always need money. The money you raise could be used for food, medical care, and more for the animals we help. Be sure to let people know the money goes to help the animals.

Contact us at helpanimals@humaneloudoun.org to make your donation.

• Hold a garage or yard sale. To get items to sell, ask neighbors and friends to clean out their closets. Advertise your event, letting people know the time, place and date.
• Look for jobs you can do to raise money, such as raking leaves, washing windows, collecting cans or bottles for recycling, washing and/or walking dogs, or taking care of a neighbor’s pet.
• Sell something that you’ve made. You could create homemade cards from recycled paper, have a lemonade stand, or prepare goodies for a bake sale.
• Ask local businesses to donate prizes and then sell raffle tickets.
• Put on a special event – like an art show, a play or a dog walk – and sell tickets to people attending the event.

 

 Help animals in your neighborhood

• To help wild animals, build bird or bat houses, or put out water and feeders for the birds.
• Organize a neighborhood cleanup to pick up trash, fishing line and other things that can hurt animals.
• Start a Neighborhood Animal Watch for animal emergencies. Make a list of numbers to call, including
  — A Veterinarian (your family vet, if you have pets)
  — An Emergency vet in your area: CLICK HERE for a list
  — A Wildlife Rehabilitator: CLICK HERE for a list
  — Loudoun County Animal Control

• If you know an elderly person or someone who’s sick who has a pet, volunteer to help feed, walk or bathe the person’s dog, or change the kitty litter.
• Take good care of your own pet. Walk your dog or clean the kitty litter.

 

Whatever you decide to do, remember to be polite and thank people for helping. Be sure to feel good about all you’ve done to help the animals. You can make a difference!

Let us know what you plan to do or what you have done and we can include your efforts in a future newsletter!  Contact us at helpanimals@humaneloudoun.

 

 

Once upon a time, there was a little orange girl kitty who was unwanted by her people. She was tossed outside and went from one dangerous situation to another…she was even shot at with a B.B. gun to make her keep moving along! Everywhere, she found signs saying ‘your kind not welcome here’.

Somehow she managed to find a trailer park next to a very busy Rt 7, and finally someone recognized her potential and called the Humane Society of Loudoun County. Thanks to them, and a most excellent and patient foster Andi Apple Robey, Fanta the Orange Girl slowly learned to trust again.

A very nice young lady saw her and her crinkly ear and fell in love, and they are now going to live happily ever after!! Congratulations on finding your forever home, Fanta!!

Since 1986, Old Mill Boarding Kennel has provided a safe, clean, and nurturing environment for guests to feel comfortable and welcome. Offering boarding for dogs and cats as well as day care and play time, there is also a pet spa and grooming facility on site, in addition to a full service veterinary hospital that opened in 1999. Old Mill has partnered with Humane Society of Loudoun County for over 20 years, giving our rescued cats a temporary place to stay while we locate foster homes and often providing the critical care that enables those with medical and behavioral issues to find homes.

The professionally trained staff at the kennel truly understand the anxiety people can feel when leaving their four-legged members in the care of someone else, and they make the extra effort to provide guests with a true home away from home. Although it is one of the largest pet boarding establishments in the Washington D.C. area, Old Mill has incorporated special features such as soft, residential-grade lighting, spacious sun-filled dog kennels, and sound-dampening acoustic wall panels to ensure maximum comfort.

Another unique factor that sets Old Mill apart from other boarding kennels is the presence of an on-site resident, long-time general manager Timmie Wiley, whose living space is attached to the kennel so he is close at hand when needed. He checks on guests when summer thunderstorms roll through or an alarm goes off, and he is on the scene to make sure that everything is as it should be.

Old Mill Cat Loft manager Shannon Judd has been with Old Mill for over 20 years. “We usually board the HSLC cats until they have fosters, feeding and caring for them, taking them to the vet if needed, and making sure they get as much human contact as possible.” She said they will take as many cats as HSLC brings, usually about 50 per year, and provide a reduced rate boarding fee.

The Cat Loft is a unique, state of the art facility featuring two level condos, with or without windows, in addition to skylights, large play rooms, and relaxing music. The Loft can house up to 85 cats at one time. “HSLC gets cats from a range of places—kill shelters, given up by people, feral, it’s a wide variety,” Shannon says. “We put them right in with our other cats (once they have the required vaccinations), and they are usually here a week or two.” In the past, the cats were with Old Mill for many months, and she attributes the shorter stays to more fosters and adoptions. “It was nice to see the same faces when we kept them longer, but this is not a place for them to live, and the quicker turnaround has been great.”

In addition to providing support with socialization, evaluation, space and care at reduced costs, Old Mill goes above and beyond to assist HSLC with cats who may have issues finding homes. One of the cats who benefited from Old Mill’s dedication is Tori, a kitten from the first mass spay/neuter clinic sponsored by HSLC who ended up with a chronic eye problem. For almost a year, they medicated her two to three times per day and saved her good eye. Once the condition was under control, a foster took her in and ended up adopting her—a happy ending for all.

Millie is another success story. After being diagnosed with cancer, she bonded with another HSLC cat at Old Mill and ended up living far beyond her prognosis. According to Shannon, “We do it because we have the space and it helps the community. We will always find a way to support the cats from HSLC, even if we’re booked.”

In 2017, HSLC found homes for a record number of cats and dogs. It is thanks to collaboration from partner agencies such as Old Mill that we are able to continue in this important mission, all for the love of animals.

Michelle Zebrowski has been helping animals for two decades now. She is very active with the Humane Society of Loudoun County (HSLC) as well as other groups and serves on the Loudoun County Animal Advisory Committee.  Learn more about Michelle, including what she feels is the best reward for being an HSLC volunteer.

How long have you been a volunteer with the Humane Society of Loudoun County (HSLC) and how did you first get involved?

I’ve been a volunteer with HSLC for 10 years.  I started volunteering with HSLC when I moved to VA from NJ and I was looking for a local animal welfare group as I’d been volunteering in animal welfare for 10 years prior.

What activity do you support at the Humane Society of Loudoun County?

Due to my crazy schedule with work and the kids, I mainly focus on fostering as that’s something that I can do at home and on my schedule.  The best part about volunteering is that there is always an activity that fits how much time you have to give.

What are the rewards of being an HSLC volunteer?

Being able to save a life! There is no better feeling knowing that, however you contribute, you are helping to save an animal.

What are the challenges?

I always wish that I could do more but I try to give as much as I can, both with donations of my time and money.

Please share your favorite memory as an HSLC volunteer:

I have so many great memories of my time with HSLC.  My favorite experiences have been watching my foster cats get adopted after being with me for a very long time.  At one point, I fostered a cat named Sugar for six months,  which is a really long time to foster. She was very sweet but very aggressive toward other cats.  But she finally found the perfect new home.

Is there any advice you could share with someone who is considering becoming a volunteer with HSLC?

Get involved!  Don’t wait for the ‘right’ time in your life because that time may never come.  Even if you can only give an hour here and there, it makes a difference.

 

A special kittie was adopted this week. Enos lived for years as an outside cat in a colony near Leesburg. But as we were relocating most of the cats to new homes due to threats, we realized that Enos had some vision problems due to an old wound or injury. He could still see but his vision is limited, which means he couldn’t be moved to a new outside home.

Enos showed signs of being social and friendly, so we took a chance and put him in one of our foster homes. Fortunately, Enos decided that he was ready for the comfortable life of an indoor kitty.

Enos took to indoor life like a fish to water. Turns out Enos is all about getting snuggles and ear rubs and back scratches.

And just like that, the perfect family found and adopted this 9 year old, vision impaired love bug. So now he’s getting to know his new cat brother and if all goes well, they will have many happy years of playtime together.

We need your help! We rely on social media to share stories, gain support for our latest efforts, recruit people for our programs, and spread the word about the work that we do. Communication and grassroots messaging is how we continue providing much-needed support for animals.

Unfortunately, the newest change to the Facebook algorithm is making it harder for us to show up in the Facebook news feed. But you can help! Here’s how.

 

Follow us.

Did you know that you can choose to “Follow” a Facebook page to ensure you see its content?
Right under the Facebook cover photo is the option to follow.

Once you follow, you can choose how you see posts.
        See First (See new posts from this Page at the top of your News Feed)
        Default (See posts in their usual order from this Page)

You can even choose to be notified about posts!
       Standard (All notifications from this Page, up to 5 per day)
       Highlights (Notifications about suggested posts from this Page)

Engage with us.

Facebook ranks posts by the amount of engagement they have. So, have questions or comments? Please add them to the comment section! Posting in the comments section is a signal to Facebook that the post is engaging – which means it will start showing up in more news feeds. Likes and reactions are also great. So thumbs up, laugh, WOW, and heart our posts all you want! It helps.

Share our posts.

A “Share” is the ultimate mark of an engaging post to Facebook. When the algorithm sees “Shares”, it serves that same post up to even more follows. So, sharing helps us in two ways, it shows our post to your friends and it helps us land in more news feeds.

With your help, we can continue to spread the word about our animals waiting for their forever homes, inform with news and information about animals, and promote our programs that help pets and community cats. We can also recruit volunteers to foster, help with events, and spread the word about our needs.

 

 

At the end of 2017, we received a kind note and donation from Mr. Howard Luck in honor of his cats Daisy and Violet:

“In March 1997, I was fortunate to adopt 2 kittens (age 4 months) from your society — Daisy and Violet. Violet passed away at age 14 years; Miss Daisy is still with me, at age 20+ years! Having Daisy and Violet in my life has been one of my best experiences. I’m so blessed to have connected with these wonderful beings. THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for rescuing these kittens, and giving us the opportunity to be in each others’ lives. My gratitude is endless.“

We contacted Howard to learn more about his reasons for adoption, his experiences with Daisy and Violet, and his advice for those considering providing an animal with their “forever home.”

 

Why did you decide to adopt your two cats?

I had recently separated from my partner of five years; we’d had two cats together, and I made the very hard choice to leave them behind with my former partner so the cats wouldn’t be separated from each other and from the home they knew. After living in my new home in Springfield, Virginia for several months, I’d started seriously considering adopting a cat. The home just didn’t feel complete without feline companionship.

A good friend took me on a day trip to Loudoun County, and wanted to show me Old Town Leesburg. We happened upon a delightful boutique that specialized in cat-themed gift items. In the far back of the shop was a room where large, interconnected cages had been set up. And inside were two adorable tabby kittens, obviously a bit frightened of their surroundings. My friend and I immediately were drawn to these two! She encouraged me to adopt them right then and there; however, I was hesitant to make such a life-changing decision on the spot. This was not part of the day’s plan! Then the shop owner informed us that one of the Humane Society of Loudoun County volunteers had rescued them — someone had left them to drown in a stream or creek! I hesitated no more; I filled out the adoption papers immediately. And I’ve never had a single regret.

Was there a reason you decided to adopt from the Humane Society of Loudoun County?

As mentioned, it was completely by accident! However, I remember that the volunteers who assisted with the adoption were all dedicated, compassionate, and helpful. Also, there were checks in place to help ensure the kitties would be going to a good home where they would be well cared for.

Tell me a little about Daisy and Violet.

First, some background about their names: When we initially saw the kitties in the shop, we couldn’t tell them apart. They looked like twins. During the next week while I was waiting for the final adoption approval, I churned over what to name them. I wanted two names that would reflect the kitties’ seemingly twin characteristics. I recalled that a new Broadway show had opened, “Sideshow”, about conjoined twin sisters in the 1930s. I researched the twins’ names: Daisy and Violet Hilton. So, the kittens were christened Daisy and Violet.

Once Daisy and Violet moved into their new home, it became obvious that — despite their near-identical appearance — they had very distinct personalities. Daisy was the talker, and the more adventurous of the two. Violet was always more wary of strangers, or of new experiences. Also, Violet was initially ill with conjunctivitis and an upper respiratory infection. Daisy was very protective of her sister, and always stayed close to her. Over the years, this bond never diminished.

Both kitties were always affectionate (definitely lap-cats!), curious, extraordinarily well-behaved, and playful. Also, both seemed to have a sixth sense in regard to my mood: when I’d be sad or upset, each would come find me and offer extra affection and consoling. To this day, Daisy continues to be the best therapist!

What’s the best part about having cats in your life?

The companionship. The unconditional love. The opportunity to care for such beautiful and soulful creatures. The joy of knowing that I was able to save the lives of two amazing kitties, who have given me many years of happiness.

If Daisy could speak human, what would you want to know from her?

I believe that I was led to Daisy and Violet not only so I could save them, but so they could save me. Deep down I’ve always felt that these two kitties are my guardian angels, in my life to comfort and watch over me. If Daisy had the power of human speech, I’d ask her if that is indeed true. (However, as one of my guardian angels she’d probably have to be very coy with her answer!)

Do you have any advice for someone who is thinking about adopting a cat or dog?

I sense that rescue animals have a deep appreciation for the humans who save them. If you are able to give one (or more!) of these creatures a safe and nurturing home, committed to their care, and willing to always treat them with kindness, love, and dignity, the rewards will be immeasurable.

Thank you, Howard, for taking the time to chat with us!