The Humane Rescue Alliance is the new organization created after the merger of the Washington Humane Society and the Washington Animal Rescue League, and they’re contracted by DC to serve the city for abandoned and mistreated pets and animals. But it seems they’re stretched too thin, with too many abuse complaints coming in, and too little resources to help them all as fully as they might want to. There are only five Humane Law Enforcement officers who serve the District, five who investigate hundreds of reports of dogs left out in the cold and other animals being mistreated. This weekend, for example, there was only one officer available for the entire city, according to that officer. Their backlog, especially during winter, is huge and can cause delays, according to an Animal Control Officer who responded to a neighbor’s Facebook post on Momma's condition.

“We have tried to be transparent with everything we’re doing, and to do what we’re asked,” one of the concerned neighbors told me as we talked through everything they’ve done and documented in their effort to alleviate the treatment of the animals. “We don’t want to appear like we’re harassing anyone, we just want the dog safe.”

“We’ve gone through the appropriate channels,” another neighbor said as we reviewed the emails and the long history of meetings. “We can’t seem to get consistent information on what the legal requirements are, as the DC Code that covers cruelty to animals is not clear. We’re frustrated,” she said. “We want measurable standards for the treatment of animals. And if keeping animals in this condition is acceptable by the code, we want to see the code changed.”

Neighbors are frustrated because they’re told the conditions that first Princess and now Momma are living in meet the minimum requirements of DC Code 22-1001 — yet they can’t seem to figure out what those minimum requirements are, as they are told different things, sometimes by the same officer.

DC Code § 22–1001 (a) (1) states that, "Whoever knowingly...or unnecessarily fails to provide...proper food, drink, air, light, space, veterinary care, shelter, or protection from the weather, shall for every such offense be punished by imprisonment in jail not exceeding 180 days, or by fine not exceeding $250, or by both."

The neighbors have been told that if an animal is kept outside longer than 30 minutes in freezing temperatures then Humane Law Enforcement officers can take action. And in fact, officers did take action in mid-December when Momma was found outside, and she was temporarily brought inside. Back then, it wasn't freezing out. Now, they’re being told by HLE officers that they’re no longer investigating this property, while the temperature, with windchill, was 9 degrees Fahrenheit. As of Monday morning, the dog had been outside in below-freezing temperatures for more than 72 hours.

The neighbors continue to plead the dog’s case with city administrators and agencies, and emails were continuing to fly back and forth as of Sunday night between neighbors and representatives from the Mayor’s office.