From Matty Rhoades and Luis Gomez

Want a dog, but don’t think you can handle the responsibility? Thought about fostering a rescue, but that won’t work either? Then, how about a 90-minute walk with a dog on a weekend day?

Last Saturday we met Britton and Morgan as they headed out for a walk around the Dupont neighborhood. Britton is one of the volunteers who takes dogs from City Dogs Rescue for weekend walks. The non-profit organization, run out of City Dogs at 1832 18th Street NW, has implemented this new volunteer dog walking program which helps City Dogs Rescue take care of the dogs.

All you have to do is go to their website and sign up for weekend dog-walking shifts; dates are available now through August. Volunteers walk dogs — wearing “Adopt Me” vests — in the Borderstan area and provide information to interested individuals who stop to ask about the dogs.

“The dog walks not only bring the dogs great exercise, but increase their chances of finding permanent homes,” said Darren Binder, who founded City Dogs Rescue with his partner, Dave Liedman, owner of City Dogs Daycare, and a friend. “We have placed a number of dogs as a result of these walks, including our very first dog, Bentley.”

It turns out that Morgan is a lucky dog. He was on the “short list” at a kill shelter and was scheduled to be put down, according to Binder. “We have 36 people who have signed up for the dog walking program so far,” said Binder.

City Dogs Rescue usually has five to eight dogs at a time that are available for adoption. These dogs are fostered in donated space at City Dogs Daycare, which is a separate entity from City Dogs Rescue — and with local foster families.

“We are in great need for more foster families, and we would ask anyone who can foster a dog in their home to email us at [email protected],” said Binder. “Every additional foster home allows us to save another dog.”

City Dogs Rescue was formed in September 2011 as an all volunteer, non-profit organization (with pending 501(c)(3) status) to rescue adoptable dogs in overcrowded and high-kill shelters where resources are severely limited. Many of the dogs that City Dogs Rescue takes in are just days and sometimes hours away from being euthanized, for no reason other than lack of space. Since September, 32 dogs from City Dogs Rescue have been adopted by individuals and families in the DC metro area.

City Dogs Rescue also has regular adoption and fundraising activities at local bars, stores and community festivals in Dupont Circle, Logan Circle, U Street, Adams Morgan and other neighborhoods. There are two upcoming adoption events at Nellie’s Sports Bar, a City Dogs Rescue community sponsor, on April 7 and April 11.

How to Help

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