At the Humane Rescue Alliance, we're dedicated to protecting animals and to placing and keeping them with caring families. On average, eight stray dogs and cats come to HRA every day. Many times, these animals are pets who have mistakenly wandered away from home. Thanks to microchip technology, the HRA Lost & Found webpage, and the skilled and dedicated work of our front desk staff, more than 200 animals have been reunited with their families this year.
Below are just a few examples of the ways animals become lost and the lengths our team will go to reunite an animal with their family. Each reunion is a special one, with our front desk celebrating by putting their photo up as a reminder of our dedication to support people's love and compassion for their pets.
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 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
Our animal control officers found 4-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.
Sheeba
Five-year-old 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. Last month, only about 4% of stray cats were reunited with their owners, and microchip technology made sure that 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-to-date 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!
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!
Cody
Fourteen-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 her voice, he perked up and jumped right into her arms!
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.
If you have lost your pet or if you believe your lost pet is at our adoption center, please call 202-576-6664 (press 2 at the prompt) or visit the New York Avenue Adoption Center at 1201 New York Avenue, NE. Learn more on our Lost and Found Webpage.