| Founded in 1914, The Washington Animal Rescue League (WARL) was patterned after the animal welfare societies of Great Britain, New York and Massachusetts. Since the organization's inception our goal has been to provide care and compassion for the homeless and abused animals of our nation's capital while working to place them in loving adoptive homes. A private, not-for-profit organization that operates solely on private donations and volunteer efforts, WARL created the city's first animal shelter. This building housed dogs, cats, and horses who were taken from abusive guardians or found wandering on the streets.
 Even in the early years, WARL's policies and procedures were progressive, from mandating house visits for potential adopters and holding an annual Christmas food drive to providing low-cost or free veterinary care for animals in need. WARL's mission and programs have long garnered the support of Washington's elite. Our honorary presidents have included Mamie Eisenhower, Jacqueline Kennedy and Lady Bird Johnson.
During our ninety-year existence, we have been an organization that sets the standard of care for animals in our city and throughout the country. In 1977, we moved to our bright, inviting facility at 71 Oglethorpe Street, NW. Our Medical Center, a modern, state-of-the-art veterinary hospital, opened in 1996 to serve our shelter animals and the companion animals of the low-income community. The clinic, which provides a wide variety of services, sees approximately 7,000 patients each year. These companion animals receive much-needed medical care, often for the first time, enabling them to lead happy, healthy lives.
In 2005 through 2006, WARL underwent a revolutionary transformation, making it one of the world’s most progressive animal rehabilitation centers. Scotlund Haisley, WARL’s former executive director, envisioned a shelter designed entirely from the animals’ point of view to promote the physical, mental, and social healing of animals recovering from a previous life of trauma.
Steel-bar cages have been replaced with glass enclosed doggie dens, cat condos, and puppy pads—a more humane, efficient, and responsible way to shelter homeless animals. Each of the animals enjoys the best care possible, daily training and socialization support from staff and volunteers, and state-of-the-art veterinary care at WARL’s on-site medical center. Because it is bright, attractive, and filled with healthy and social animals living in comfortable living rooms, potential adopters find WARL a welcoming place to visit and choose a companion animal.
As a valuable resource for individuals and groups with an interest in animal welfare, we continue to expand our efforts to reach out to the Washington community on a variety of levels. Each weekend we hold adoption events at a satellite facility and animal-friendly businesses. We maintain high public visibility through community events, television appearances and other activities focused on topics such as spaying and neutering, volunteering and adoptions. On a regional level, our Shelter Animal Relief Effort (ShARE) brings together the area's animal welfare organizations to help alleviate the effects of the animal overpopulation crisis. Through our humane education program we teach children to treat all animals with love and respect. School visits, which include lectures and classroom activities, help us to instill in them the knowledge that they are the future of animal welfare in our society. |
