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Monday 9am - 7pm Tuesday 9am - 7pm Thursday 9am - 7pm Friday 9am - 7pm Saturday 11am - 5pm Sunday 11am - 5pm

Animal Welfare League of Alexandria

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Alexandria, VA
Animal Welfare League of Alexandria

Inspiring compassion for all and providing shelter to animals in need since 1946. Offenders may be banned or posts may be blocked from the AWLA page.

The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria is an independent, local, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Operating the Vola Lawson Animal Shelter, an open-admission facility and Alexandria’s only animal shelter, the League touches the lives of more than 6000 animals every year, including strays, lost pets, local wildlife, rescue animals, and animals surrendered by their owners. The AWLA is committed t

o addressing animal homelessness, promoting animal welfare, and serving as an educational resource for the community. More information is at www.AlexandriaAnimals.org

DAILY ADOPTION HOURS: We open daily (except Wednesday) at noon for animal adoptions.
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Guidelines for Use of This page

Thank you so much for your interest in and support of the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria! We’re so excited to share the stories of Alexandria’s animals, as well as our staff, volunteers and community. Commenting Policy:

AWLA reserves the right to delete all comments that contain

• Offensive language;
• Personal attacks;
• Inappropriate comments or posts about race, nationality, gender, orientation or religion;
• Spam or certain links to other sites, including content of a sales-oriented nature.

11/28/2025

How about this HUGE Black Fur-iday deal?! 🐾❤️

Today through Sunday, Hill’s Pet Nutrition is covering the adoption fees for all dogs 40+ pounds!

With a big dog comes big love and big fun! And you might be surprised to learn that many need less space and exercise than you think. Sadly, due to misconceptions about space and care they require, as well as size and breed restrictions, large dogs statistically have much longer stays in shelters across the U.S. Help us get more big dogs in homes for the holidays!

Stop by any time during adoption hours to visit with our adoption counselors and meet dogs who could be the perfect fit for your family.

See all our available animals at www.AlexandriaAnimals.org/adopt.

11/27/2025

We wish you a happy Thanksgiving! 🍁 We hope you have a wonderful day with family, friends, and/or fur family!

We are closed today, but will reopen for normal business and adoption hours Friday, November 28.

For animal-related emergencies, you can reach Animal Services at 703-746-4444.

11/25/2025

This past weekend, a few of our adoptable animals created gallery-worthy masterpieces! 🎨🖌

Swipe through to see them hard at work on their personal paintings. "Art by Adoptables" was a very special prize that was up for grabs in our Paws in the Park Silent Auction. The winner (and their friends) were the art teachers, helping each dog, rabbit and guinea pig harness their creative spirit!

From bold lick strokes to tiny piggie prints, the artwork was one-of-a-kind and the experience was enjoyed by humans and animals alike.

11/24/2025

Take a moment to stop and taste the flowers. 👅🌸

Don't let the stress of Thanksgiving week spin you into a turkey-themed tornado! 🦃🌪

Sassy thinks you could use a break from menu planning, pie baking, and relative refereeing. And she would love to help you host your holiday feast and offer a dose of comedic canine relief.

Sassy loves to play with other dogs and toys. Her joyful zoomies are epic and unexpected (she's been known to come down with a case on a leash mid-walk, so hold on tight). She's affectionate, intelligent, and ready to find a home! You can meet her today from noon until 7 p.m.

11/23/2025

Thanksgiving is just a few days away! 🥧 The day can be fun and chaotic - all in one. It can also be overwhelming for your pets. Have an enjoyable (and safe!) holiday with your pets and these reminders.

Find even more pet safety reminders at https://alexandriaanimals.org/thanksgiving-pet-safety-tips/.

11/22/2025

Happening now through Sunday! 🐾🏠 Every dog and small mammal we have available for adoption has a $0 adoption fee!

❎🐈 (We're very sorry, but we don't currently have any adoptable cats -- they all found homes yesterday!) 🐈❎

This Saturday, November 22 and Sunday, November 23, MetLife Pet Insurance will be covering the adoption fees for all dogs 6 months and older (and small mammals). Stop by any time during adoption hours (noon to 5 p.m. both days) to visit with our adoption counselors and meet animals who could be the perfect fit for your family.

🐾 Find all our adoptable animals at AlexandriaAnimals.org/adopt. To meet an animal in foster, email us at [email protected].

11/20/2025

There really is no place like home, especially around the holidays. 🥧🏠

To bring more animals to their new homes for the holidays, we are excited to partner with MetLife Pet Insurance to offer waived adoption fees this weekend only!

This Saturday, November 22 and Sunday, November 23, MetLife will be covering the adoption fees for all animals 6 months and older. Stop by any time during adoption hours (noon to 5 p.m. both days) to visit with our adoption counselors and meet animals who could be the perfect fit for your family.

🐾 Find all our adoptable animals at AlexandriaAnimals.org/adopt. To meet an animal in foster, email us at [email protected] in advance.

11/20/2025

As our match campaign continues, we are overwhelmed with gratitude to those who have contributed so far! 💗

If you haven’t given yet, don’t wait! Your window of opportunity to make twice the impact ends November 30.

When you give today, our friend Rosemary Hayes Jones will match your donations dollar-for-dollar, up to $25,000. That means your reach will extend twice as far to help animals at the AWLA and throughout the Alexandria area! 🐾

🐶 Thank you for your compassion and kindness toward animals in our community! Because of our donors’ generosity, they have a second chance to live their best life. 🐈

🔗 - bit.ly/FallMatch25

11/19/2025

We're hiring, and we'd love for you to join our team! Apply today for one of our open job opportunities.

The AWLA offers an excellent benefits package and competitive compensation. Health care, dental and vision coverage, a retirement plan and additional employee benefits are available.

Find more details on each position on our website: https://alexandriaanimals.org/careers/

11/19/2025

Do you recognize any of this week's found animals? 👀 Take a look and let us know!

If you have access to neighborhood groups or websites like NextDoor, please share their photos and info there to help us find their family.

▪️"Magnolia" - Domestic short hair kitten (N. Columbus St., 22314)
▪️"Caramel" - Domestic short hair kitten (200 Bluestone Rd., 22304)
▪️"Bubbles" - Domestic medium hair cat (N. Howard St., 22304)
▪️"Sugar Toes" - Mixed breed dog (17th H/D St NE, 20002)

If you have information about these animals or they are your lost pet, please email [email protected] or call 703-746-4774. You will need to provide proof of ownership when claiming a lost pet.

11/18/2025

Greatest testimonial EVER. 😍

Let us help your dog with leash reactivity, confidence building, or chilling out. The next session of our Alexandria Animal Academy dog training classes begin Sunday, December 7.

The personalized, low-cost classes are open to everyone - you do not need to be an Alexandria resident.

Participants receive individualized training plans, professional feedback from a certified instructor, and access to a group of likeminded dog parents.

Learn more and register at AlexandriaAnimals.org/alexandriaanimalacademy/

11/15/2025

HAPPENING TOMORROW! 🐾 Come see us at the Del Ray Farmers' Market!

Do you have questions about your cat or dog's behavior? 🐶🐈 Well, we have answers (and solutions)!

Chat with our Behavior & Training Manager Joe Miench, CPDT-KA, ABCDT, at the Del Ray Farmers' Market tomorrow from 8 a.m. to noon at Pat Miller Square.

The AWLA uses and teaches positive reinforcement training or relationship-based training only (compared to punishment or "balanced" training). We encourage animal lovers in our community to see out positive reinforcement trainers for their own animals, too.

Address

4101 Eisenhower Avenue
Alexandria, VA
22304

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 7pm
Tuesday	9am - 7pm
Thursday	9am - 7pm
Friday	9am - 7pm
Saturday	11am - 5pm
Sunday	11am - 5pm

Telephone

+17037464774

Website

http://www.AlexandriaAnimals.org/

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