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Ferret Shelters in D.C.

Serving ferrets and ferret owners in the Washington, DC metro area. We do not have a central shelter, but are a home-based rescue and placement service for ferrets. We are a 501(c)3 charity and all donations are tax deductable.

The goals of WMAFO are simple: prevent ferrets from being unnecessarily euthanized in county animal shelters and provide support and education to keep ferrets in their current homes. The organization has two branches related to those goals, one that takes in ferrets from county shelters and private individuals as foster homes are available and places them in new, forever homes, and an educational branch, which holds outreach events at petstores, local animal expos and other venues and provides guidance and support for ferret owners. The organization also provides a support network for DC area ferret owners including pet-sitting, information sharing and advice, a newsletter, social events and a sense of community.

We serve the Washington, DC metro area including Northern Virginia and Maryland suburbs.

Dog & Cat Shelters in D.C.

Homeward Trails Animal Rescue is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that provides pet adoption in Virginia, Washington, DC and Maryland. We find homes for dogs and cats rescued from high-kill animal shelters or whose owners could no longer care for them or were found as strays.

History:
Homeward Trails started by accident! In December 2001, Founder Sue Bell was vacationing in Fayette County, WV when she happened upon the local animal shelter. During a quick stop to drop off biscuits, she was told the sad history of this shelter. Their facility had been hit by a flash flood a few months prior, drowning more than 50 animals. Now operating out of a small trailer, the shelter had little space to house the animals and the euthanasia rate was almost 98%.

Bell and her husband decided to rescue three dogs that day, setting into motion a future no one could predict. Once back in the DC area, the three dogs – Brown Dog, Black Dog and Lucy were “put up for adoption” via e-mails to friends and ads in local papers. In just one week, all had homes. But the calls and e-mails kept coming from folks asking Bell to help them find a pet.

Recognizing a demand from local animal lovers and a large supply of animals in Fayette County, Bell began driving the 6 hour one-way trip every weekend to bring dogs and cats back to DC for adoption. At first, the goal was just to rescue 50 animals in honor of those that drowned in the shelter flood.

Now, 12 years later and more than 14,000 animals rescue, Homeward Trails is going strong and has no plans of stopping until every homeless dog and cat out there can be assured of a loving home.