For more than 100 years, the Washington Animal Rescue League has rescued, cared for and adopted homeless companion animals in our nation’s capital. The Washington Animal Rescue League is the oldest animal shelter in the District of Columbia. Its mission continues to evolve as conditions change and animals face new and different challenges, but the core of that mission remains unchanged: to honor and strengthen the human-animal bond by providing the best quality care for homeless dogs and cats, and supporting companion animals in their homes through affordable veterinary care, community outreach, and education.

The Washington Animal Rescue League is known not only for its long history of compassionate care for animals, but for its innovative shelter, which is designed to promote the physical, emotional, and social healing of animals recovering from past traumas, and for the progressive programs that benefit animals and the community.