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The Washington Animal Rescue League Sets New Global Standard

Unique Innovations Enhance Animals' Wellbeing, Facilitate Recovery, Increase Adoptions

WASHINGTON, Oct. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- The Washington Animal Rescue League (WARL) today officially unveiled its newly renovated facility, which incorporates the best design concepts from shelters around the world, and takes them a step further to set a new global standard for the humane care of homeless and abused animals. Every detail of the doggie dens, cat condos, and puppy pads were designed from the animal's point of view to promote healing and maximally enhance the animal's physical and emotional wellbeing as he or she recovers from past traumas and awaits adoption.

In addition, the shelter now houses nearly 400 animals (a 66% increase). That fact, coupled with a design that allows for greater interaction among potential adopters and prospective pet companions, is expected to result in rapid gains in the number of animals adopted.

Scotlund Haisley, Executive Director of The Washington Animal Rescue League met with numerous experts and visited dozens of animal shelters, pet day care centers, veterinary hospitals, and even human prisons as part of WARL's extensive research that went into planning the re-design. "Life for an animal in a typical shelter can be filled with stress, anxiety, and depression," he explains. "The traditional concrete, cinder block, and steel bar shelters simply do not meet the animal's basic physical and psychological needs, much less facilitate a recovery from whatever traumatic situation brought them to the shelter in the first place. As a result, many of these animals get sick and develop behavioral problems. People, even many in the animal welfare field, have gotten so used to this that they see it as inevitable. But we thought that if we painstakingly designed a new concept in animal sheltering, considering even the smallest detail from the animals' point of view, we could build a facility that actually encourages recovery and adoption."

Some of the shelter's new features, many unique to WARL, include separate ventilation systems for each living unit, skylights and glass apartments to maximize natural lighting, privacy nooks, elevated beds, heated flooring, and flowing water and music to create a calm, soothing environment. Dutch doors allow the dogs to interact freely with visitors. Mounted dog beds fold up or down to accommodate either a dog who wants a raised bed or one who prefers the floor. Cats have access to special exercise rooms where they can climb cat "trees" and play with other cats. Since cats loves to watch, play with, and drink moving water, the cat area also includes a central waterfall with perches on either side.

The Washington Animal Rescue League's caretakers have noticed an almost immediate change in the animals. Although the dog area now holds more dogs, noise level (the single largest cause of stress in shelter dogs according to several recent studies) is reduced to an occasional bark. Respiratory infections, widespread among cats and dogs in most shelters, have been nearly eliminated. The animals get more rest, seem more secure, and are noticeably less fearful of people and each other.

And visitors hoping to adopt are also impressed. According to Adoptions Manager Shelley Petrasek, "The adopters spend more time visiting with the animals. On Saturdays, our new acquaintance rooms are in high demand, and in general, the bright, calm atmosphere of the shelter offers adopters a great experience. It's still too early to tell how significantly this will increase the adoption numbers, but all the signs are very encouraging."

A number of animal shelters in the U.S. and from around the world have visited WARL to see the newly renovated facility. "Word travels quickly in this field," adds Haisley. "I've been doing at least six tours a week for other animal welfare professionals. That's what I hoped would happen. Our dream has been to make this shelter a model and a tangible resource for any group that houses and rehabilitates animals. We're proud to be the first to build such a shelter, but we do not want it be the only one of its kind. If more animal rescue agencies build facilities that actively enhance recovery and adoptions, the animal rescue option -- and not pet stores, puppy mills, or breeders -- will become the standard, most attractive, most reliable way to choose an animal companion."

The renovation also features new intake and holding rooms, an expanded Medical Center, a new community room, and additional office space. The Washington, D.C.-based architectural firm Stoiber and Associates worked on the design and HBW Group did the construction.

Founded in 1914, The Washington Animal Rescue League (WARL) provides care and compassion for the homeless and abused animals of the 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. In 1996, a modern, state-of-the-art medical center was created to provide full-service, low-cost veterinary care to pets of low-income residents of the Washington metropolitan area. WARL is also focused on education and serves as a valuable resource for individuals and groups with an interest in animal welfare. Efforts include, free spay and neuter services, weekend adoption events, a humane education program, and the Shelter Animal Relief Effort (ShARE), that brings together regional animal welfare organizations to help alleviate the effects of the animal overpopulation crisis. For more information please call WARL at (202) 726-2536, visit our shelter at 71 Oglethorpe Street, N.W., or log onto our website at http://www.warl.org/.