Come out with friends and family to enjoy the largest indoor ropes adventure in the U.S.!  The Humane Society of Loudoun County (HSLC) will receive 10% of ticket sales on April 30th!  We will be on site from 10am to 4pm awarding a variety of prizes for completed obstacles! Slots will fill up quickly so lock in your time-slot now!

Earlier this year, the Humane Society of Loudoun County (HSLC) launched ShelterLuv thanks to the leadership of Animal Care Director, Amy Richards. We sat down with Amy to learn more about this exciting tool and how it will help HSLC keep up with the evolving needs of the community.

There is a lot of excitement surrounding the launch of ShelterLuv. What is It, and how will it benefit HSLC?

Shelterluv is a budget-friendly software program developed specifically for animal welfare organizations to help manage everything from the intake of an animal, storage of medical records, to processing adoptions.

That sounds very useful! How will it help our volunteers, fosters and adopters?

Shelterluv will hold all of the information on each animal making it easier for any volunteer to see what medical care an animal has received, when they are due for their next vaccinations, and if they are ready for adoption. Additionally, we can build profiles for each of our foster guardians to include how many animals they are comfortable with, preferred age, if they are comfortable caring for animals with special needs, and more. Each foster guardian is invited to update their profile and can also enter their availability.

There will also be an enormous benefit for our adoptions team and adopters. The team will be able to process adoptions completely online since adopters will be able to sign the adoption agreement and pay the adoption fees right from their mobile devices. Adopters will also get special offers on pet insurance from MetLife, discounts from Chewy, and an Adopterluv account with our digital adoption packet and all of their new companion animal’s medical information.

So it’s win-win-win for the humans! Are there any benefits to the animals?

The benefits to the animals come from the automation of the system. It enables our Animal Care Team to have better visibility into each of the cat or dog’s needs, reminders of vet appointments due, and access to their records. Perhaps one of the biggest benefits to the animals is that Shelterluv makes it easier to request and collect additional donations with the mobile checkout feature.

As the project lead, what did you learn during the on-boarding process that you can use going forward?

In some cases it was like learning an entirely new language. I don’t come from the tech world, so I had a lot of questions. ShelterLuv’s onboarding team is so helpful. They really held my hand and explained things as we went along, answering the questions I had about the software and terminology. This has expanded my knowledge base and will be helpful when training my teammates on the system and when working with other shelters/rescues.

Sounds like this project was out of your comfort zone but you went for it anyway. What advice would you give someone who wants to take on an important initiative even though it may be outside their wheelhouse?

Oh definitely. I would suggest for anyone to make sure they have the time and support needed for a project like this. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from the company you are working with on things you don’t understand. Be clear in your communication with your team including responsibilities and due dates. If you are only looking for feedback, make sure to be specific on what type of feedback you are looking for and from whom. And finally, be patient with yourself, and give yourself and others the grace and space to learn.

Now that the dust has settled, how are you feeling about ShelterLuv?

Really happy and proud. The adoption process is so much easier. We have some volunteers who are now more involved and invested. We can see how much it has to offer and we continue to learn exciting new things every day!

By Kathleen Silver

Recently, a kitty adopted from HSLC four years ago was returned to us. Unfortunately, Mindy’s family developed allergies and couldn’t keep her. Mindy, a gorgeous Tabby, also has one issue other than needing a new home: Obesity. She can’t effectively clean herself with so many extra pounds. Her coat was matted and dull by the time she came to HSLC. Mindy’s foster parent supposes that her previous home may have free-fed the companion animals in the house; therefore, it’s likely that Mindy snacked — a lot.

A Little On Obesity

Attempting to get a food-driven kitty like Mindy not to overeat may be challenging.  After all, it can be difficult to resist the constant meowing and big round eyes. But obesity in cats and dogs is one of the top dangers leading to diabetes, intra-abdominal cancers, heart disease, and hypertension. Furthermore, with disease comes extra veterinary costs for medications and tests and an increased risk of complications from anesthesia if a pet ever needs surgery. Obesity is common in older indoor pets that are not as active as they were in their early years and can lead to osteoarthritis, degeneration of joints, and bladder stones. Overweight pets are more likely to have shorter lives and tend to interact less with their families physically. They can be more lethargic, so it is easier to miss early signs of illness.

When a cat or dog is heading toward severe weight gain, it is time to acknowledge the situation. It is imperative to consult with a veterinarian on the correct approach to helping your companion animal lose or maintain weight so obesity doesn’t creep into their life. Simply cutting the amount of food may not be the ideal approach. It’s possible to cause a cat or dog to become malnourished by cutting food. What’s best is to talk to your veterinarian about the type, frequency, and portion sizes of the new food to facilitate weight loss. Then, it is the pet owner’s job to be consistent with the food and resist the temptation to give treats.

Introducing a pet to a new food takes time. Most pets like their routine, and changing it can cause them to retreat and become moody. Take the first 2-3 weeks to mix their everyday food with the new food. The goal is to wean them off the old food and habituate to the new, healthier diet.

Exercise is another feature to help an obese or overweight animal. However, exercise must begin slowly if the pet usually doesn’t move much. Even if a cat or dog lays on its back batting at a toy — that’s some exercise! Many people might say, “My pet won’t play.” But, with some trial and error, you will find an activity that your pet will enjoy. Once you find it, commit consistently to playing with your cat or dog for 5-10 minutes daily, more if possible. As time passes, your pet will eventually become more interested and may even seek you out for a few more minutes of playtime.

Back to Mindy’s Story

As for Mindy, she now eats a special low-carb diet to give her the best life possible and to reduce her weight. Mindy’s foster parent, Stephanie, reports that in only four weeks, Mindy’s coat has regained most of its former sheen, and she’s back to grooming herself.

Mindy is great with children and other cats; she tolerates dogs. Miss Mindy always finds a way to curl up on a lap. She craves attention and loves cuddling. However, Mindy won’t do well with a home that free feeds. She will need her meals on a schedule. Stephanie also says she doesn’t beg for food between meals, likely due to the high-quality food she’s now eating.

Mindy plays with toys and loves to interact with people and children. She has the most fun chasing plush toys with sounds or bells and hunting ribbons and string. Mindy is very friendly and ready to find her new home.

February 2023 Update: Mindy has been adopted! However, you can click here if you’re interested in adding one of her friends to your family!

For those looking to participate in the #BettyWhiteChallenge, we would be so honored if you made a gift to HSLC today on what would have been Betty‘s 101st birthday. Gifts of all sizes are greatly appreciated.

For decades, Betty White dedicated herself to protecting and improving the quality of life for animals worldwide. This included supporting efforts to advance veterinary medicine, ensuring the safety of animals on TV/movie sets, and promoting spay-and-neuter programs.

In-Memory certificates are available upon request at anne@humaneloudoun.org.

Thank you for your kind support.

It’s hard to believe but 2024 is just around the corner. Are you thinking about adopting one or two new animal-friendly habits in the new year? If so, we’re here to help. Below are just a few resolutions to choose from:

1) Keep your pets healthy by giving them regular checkups—at least once a year and keep current with vaccinations.

2) Make dental care a priority through daily brushing and regular professional dental exams and cleanings. As many as 85% of American dogs and cats show signs of dental disease by the age of three.

3) If you haven’t already, spay and neuter your pets. Doing so helps cut down on the number of homeless animals and keeps your pets healthier.

4) Give your pets plenty of attention. Animals left at home alone become bored and lonely. They can become destructive. Provide regular play sessions, walks for dogs, and petting and/or other appropriate interaction for all animals.

5) Go easy on the treats. More than 50% of our nation’s pets are overweight or obese and face a variety of health conditions, including heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, high blood pressure, and cancer.

6) Prepare for disasters—fires, floods, storms, and the like. Have an evacuation plan that includes your animal companions, and prepare a traveling kit to have on hand always.

7) Be a voice for the voiceless and use social media to encourage friends, family and co-workers to save a life by adopting, not shopping.

8) Fostering also saves lives. HSLC provides regular trainings for those who are interested in fostering. Contact us at foster@humaneloudoun.org if you’re interested in fostering or complete a no-obligation application on our website.

By Hannah Feeley

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with three fosters for the Humane Society of Loudoun County (HSLC). They each shared their stories and advice for new foster parents.

Meet Tyler

Tyler and his roommate, Katie, started fostering during the pandemic and have fostered 14 cats thus far with HSLC. They initially started fostering to cope with COVID-19 pandemic isolation and the emotional toll but continue to foster because it’s meaningful and fun. 

Tyler mentioned the potential financial toll of fostering. Although HSLC covers all vet care expenses, it relies on the community to donate food and supplies. Otherwise, the fosters cover these costs which can add up. But Tyler and Katie have felt that the costs are worth it.

Despite both working full-time, Tyler and Katie still find time to play with and socialize the cats to get them ready for their forever homes. Katie, for instance, sets aside arts and crafts time with the cats.

Tyler recommends that new foster parents reach out to their animal rescue for advice. He highlighted that our HSLC family has given him great guidance with each animal.

Meet Jamie

Jamie and her two daughters recently became short-term fosters for HSLC. She is a homeschool parent, with two senior dogs.

Jamie was volunteering for HSLC as a cat condo caretaker at a local pet store. When the cats in the condos needed a break, her kids encouraged her to take the cats home. Both Jamie and her kids noted the incredible feeling of letting the cats decompress for a few days. Plus, they found the experience to be really fun.

Jamie emphasized that cats do not need a lot of space; whatever room you can provide may actually be more than they’re used to. She appreciates the flexibility of short-term fostering as it allows her to help the animals without making a lengthier commitment.

With the holiday season upon us, HSLC is currently in need of short-term and vacation fosters. So, if you’re considering fostering, this would be the perfect time to give it a try.

Meet Carol

Carol is retired and has fostered cats with HSLC since 2018. Carol was initially introduced to fostering by a friend and hasn’t looked back since.

In explaining to me why she fosters, the joy in Carol’s voice was evident. – she does it because it’s enjoyable. Carol has also made (human) friends by fostering. Each time a foster cat is adopted, she makes a new friend with the adopter who sends updates about the cat’s wellbeing.

As a long-term foster parent who often takes in mistreated animals, Carol’s advice for new fosters is short and sweet: be patient. Spend time with the animals but have the patience to allow them to come out of their shells on their own.

Some people fear they won’t be able to give up the foster animals when the time comes. But Carol’s mindset is different: the more animals she can foster, the more animals she can help find homes. It’s a beautiful process and Carol is enthusiastic about her next foster.

If you’re interested in becoming a short or longer term foster, please contact us at foster@humaneloudoun.org or complete a no-obligation online application.

With the end of the year in sight, many people are looking for ways to combine their desire to help the causes they believe in with their desire to save on taxes. Here are four options to consider that can help you make the most of your giving this year.

Donate an Auto or Real Estate

If you have a vehicle or piece of property you want to unload, consider donating it to the Humane Society of Loudoun County (HSLC) for what could be a significant tax deduction. We offer free pick-up for donated vehicles of all types—cars, trucks, boats, and even ATVs.  Our real estate program takes any property type (land, homes, commercial) in any location so long as there is equity.

Donor Advised Fund (DAF)

A Donor Advised Fund (DAF) is like a charitable investment account, for the sole purpose of supporting charitable organizations like the Humane Society of Loudoun County. DAFs are the fastest-growing charitable giving vehicle in the United States because they are one of the easiest and most tax-advantageous ways to donate. DAFDirect, a widget available on our website, enables you to recommend grants to HSLC directly from your DAF.

Give from your IRA

Qualified Charitable Distributions, or QCDs, are designed for supporters who want to make a charitable donation directly from their IRA to charities like HSLC.  While there is no charitable deduction for making a charitable contribution using a QCD, the IRA distribution used to make the contribution is not subject to taxes. In 2024, the minimum age for QCDs is 70 ½ and the annual limit is $105,000. You may also consider designating HSLC as a beneficiary of your IRA.

Fund a Charitable Gift Annuity

Consider converting appreciated assets to a charitable gift annuity, which will provide you with reliable payments for life while supporting HSLC’s work. You will also receive payments that are partially tax-free and receive favorable capital gains tax treatment.

Note: HSLC does not give tax advice to individuals.  Please consult your professional tax advisor on how the above options might affect you specifically.

As a foster-based, all-volunteer organization, the Humane Society of Loudoun County relies on the community to provide homeless animals the second chances they deserve. Here are five “paw-some” ways to help our furry friends this holiday season.

1. Go Shopping 

When you do your holiday shopping at Amazon Smile, please designate The Humane Society of Loudoun County as your charity. While on Amazon, be sure to check out our kitten registry and charity wish list. We also have a wish list on Chewy.com.

2. Support Giving Tuesday

This international day of giving on November 29 is the perfect time to “paws” and make a life-saving donation to HSLC. The more funding we have, the more animals we can help!

3. Become a Guardian Angel

Maybe you’ve fallen in love with one of our animals but can’t adopt. Or perhaps you see a cat or dog that has been on our website for a while but hasn’t been adopted.  Sponsoring an animal’s adoption fee, in part or full, will increase the odds that they will find a loving “fur-ever” home in the near future.

4. Donate Your Vehicle or Property

Got a vehicle you want to unload before the new year? Consider donating it to HSLC. We offer free pick-up for donated vehicles of all types—cars, trucks, boats, and even ATVs.  We also launched a real estate donation program this year to support our life-saving mission.

5. Give through a Donor Advised Fund (DAF)

More and more supporters are using DAFs to manage their charitable giving.  They combine the most favorable tax benefits with the flexibility to support your favorite causes, like HSLC. 

Thank you for helping animals in need this holiday season and throughout the year.

By Roman Freeman

You can see them all the time, if you’re looking – in the grocery store, at the mall, and in restaurants. We know that Service Animals get special privileges; but what are the rules? Who can have them? And when is an animal a Service Animal?

Americans with Disabilities Act

To understand the rules of Service Animals in the United States, we need to take a look at a set of federal laws known as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). You may have heard of this before. For one thing, this is the legal precedent under which businesses are prevented from firing employees because of mental or physical disability. One of the many other things this set of laws covers is Service Animals.

It is important to note that the Americans with Disabilities Act is the one and only federal legal authority on what is and is not a Service Animal in the United States. Currently, there is no rule within the ADA that requires Service Animals to be registered or to have paperwork proving their Service status. This also means that there are no legal registries or certifications in this country on a federal level. Anyone can print off a card or a paper packet that says their animal has been “certified” as a Service Animal. But legally, this means essentially nothing.

Service Animal Defined

Then, how is it decided what is legally considered a Service Animal? The ADA states the following qualifications:

• A “Service Animal” is a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability.

You can see a list of some examples of work and tasks a Service Animal might perform (in addition to guiding the deaf or blind, or alerting to episodes of health conditions such as diabetes or seizures) here. You may also view a legal definition of disability and some conditions that may be recognized as a disability here.

• The work or tasks the dog is trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs who function solely as comfort or emotional support do not qualify as Service Animals under the ADA.

Emotional Support Animals are, however, considered Assistance Animals and therefore legally receive housing rights. While Service Animals receive both the rights to live in any facility their handler occupies as a residence regardless of rules about pets on premises, and the rights to accompany their handler anywhere the general public is allowed to go; Emotional Support Animals (ESA’s) do not legally receive public access rights to be present in places like grocery stores or offices which do not otherwise allow pets on premises. When it does not directly conflict with a person’s housing rights regarding the Animal, an individual site can decide whether an ESA is allowed on premises.

• A Service Animal must be under control of its handler at all times. Service Animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless this interferes with the person’s disability or the associated work the dog does. If they are not in some form tethered to their handler, the handler must keep control of the dog at all times with voice, signal, or other effective controls.

Summary

In short, a Service Animal is legally any dog trained to actively perform work or tasks to mitigate a disability, without presenting a danger to the public in any way and kept under control by its handler at all times. There are no rules at a federal level about breeds, certifications, registries, or training methods. You can view more about these laws and others at the ADA website.

By Kailyn Carr

As is the case with people, our furry friends are subjected to a variety of medical conditions as they get older. One of the most common diseases impacting aging and obese pets is diabetes mellitus. Many people are intimidated by the idea of adopting animals with diabetes, thinking that the disease cannot be successfully managed. But, with proper care and treatment, diabetic dogs and cats can live long and healthy lives.

Animals adopted through the Humane Society of Loudoun County (HSLC) will have a medical record noting any pre-existing diseases, including diabetes. I highly recommend fostering or adopting a pet with diabetes. Consider their condition an opportunity to provide extra love and support to animals that may not have been shown that kindness before coming into your life.

Spotlight on Oreo

Pets with diabetes have a very special place in my heart because I happen to have one of my own. Oreo is an older cat at the sprightly age of 13; he has been a part of my family since he was just a few weeks old. He was diagnosed with diabetes about 2 years ago after we noticed he had been losing large amounts of weight. While we had to adjust to caring for him, there was never any doubt that we would do everything we could to make him as healthy and happy as we could.

Ever since the diagnosis, Oreo has thrived on his medications and adjusted feeding schedule. Moreover, he remains the lovable, cuddly, attention-seeking (for all of the right and wonderful reasons), and vocal cat that we grew up with. We sometimes forget that he’s a senior cat when he shows so much youthful energy while playing with his toys.

Caring for Pets with Diabetes

• Do your research using credible sources like PetMD and AVMA.
• Listen to your vet as they will know your pet’s history. Don’t be afraid to ask them questions about diet, exercise and medication.
• Monitor your pet’s weight and behavior on a weekly basis. If you notice any dramatic shifts, contact your vet immediately.
• Be patient as you and your pet adjust to a new care plan.