Welcome to our newest series, where we feature some of the rescue groups whose alumni are now part of the District Dogs Pack. Our first group is Lucky Dog Animal Rescue which was founded in 2009. This volunteer-powered nonprofit is dedicated to rescuing homeless, neglected, and abandoned animals that would otherwise be euthanized. Lucky Dog saves more than 100 animals each month by taking in all breeds from high-kill shelters in surrounding states before placing them safely with their boarding partners and foster homes until they can be adopted.
Prospective adopters can find Lucky Dog at their adoption events throughout DC, Virginia, and Maryland. Until dogs are matched, Lucky Dog partners with a network of trainers and vets to ensure they receive all the care they need. Even after adoption, they provide a variety of resources and education for new owners. This leads us to our own Lucky Dog turned District Dog, August! August was recently adopted through Lucky Dogs and his owners gave us their first-hand experience of working with them:
We loved working with Lucky Dog—every volunteer we worked with was dedicated, kind and very helpful in our preparation to adopt our puppy August. That’s not to say it was always easy—they were very clear about what expectations new dog owners should have. We decided to go through their “Matchmaking” program (meaning we did all of the screening processes upfront, and then tried to find the right match for us with the help of their volunteers). This was great because our needs were pretty specific—we wanted a young dog that had been exposed to cats.
The long and short of it—if you go with Lucky Dog, expect to be trained as a strong advocate for your pup—they’ll lead by example. If you want a puppy immediately, this is maybe not your group. But if you want time to prepare and a team to help you, I highly recommend them.
Over 1,000 volunteers work to support Lucky Dog. Want to join them? Take a peek at their Volunteer Questionnaire. If you’re interested in fostering opportunities, here is their Foster Application.
