Volunteering is For the Dogs

Partridge: Gives the look of love.With a look of pure love, Partridge stares up at the woman giving her a healthy dose of behind-the-ear scratches. The pit bull mix is in heaven during these early morning visits when she is able to run free and cuddle with a warm body.

As one of many homeless dogs at the Washington Animal Rescue League, Partridge receives quality attention and care at the almost spa-like facility in Northwest D.C., but like her kennel-mates, she is always hungry for a scratch, a pat or a good run.

On a cold fall day, professional dog walkers Meg Levine and Kristin Dean are at the League's northwest facilities taking each dog out for early morning exercise, a bathroom break and giving much-appreciated head rubs. The women are from DogCentric, a Bethesda, Md.-based dog walking company that sends two employees to the League every weekday. It’s an opportunity for the dogs to be dogs and for the shelter staff to prepare the kennels for the day.

“I really love it here,” Levine says, as Partridge angles her head for a better spot. “I just can’t get enough of them.”

It was three years ago, the League's former executive director chose DogCentric from among several local companies offering their services. He liked DogCentric's personalized and unique approach to dog care. And, while owner Cheryl Staab, 28, pays her employees for their time, she does not charge the shelter for the $32,000 in annual services.

“Animal rescue has always been something that is really important to me,” Staab said. “I think it’s really important that every company gives back to its community.”

Dr. Gary Weitzman, executive director of the League since January, calls Staab's services invaluable.

"Thank heavens for Cheryl," he said. "We work with a pretty bare bones shelter staff to keep costs down."

Dr. Weitzman noted that while the League has nearly 600 volunteers who spend time with the 400 cats and dogs housed there, most only work evenings or weekends. "Every dog gets walked at least three times a day," he said. "Not only do we want to give them a start on house training, but we also want them to get the emotional training of being with people.

The League, founded in 1914, was the first animal shelter in Washington, D.C., for stray and abused dogs. Honorary League presidents have included Mamie Eisenhower, Jacqueline Kennedy and Lady Bird Johnson. A renovation in 2006 transformed the shelter at 71 Oglethorpe Street NW into one of the most progressive animal rehabilitation centers in the country.

Steel bars and concrete-block cages were replaced with glass, natural light, radiant heat floors, music and waterfalls, Weitzman said. "It was built from the animal's perspective," he said. "It's really humane ... We really looked at what it would take to be comfortable for them, as a place they could rehabilitate."

It was Staab’s own love of animals that led her to give up a budding career in marketing to start her own business a little more than three years ago. She came up with the idea of customized dog care after failing to find a company to take care of her beagle, Morgan.

“I thought, ‘Who is going to care enough to know everything about her: To know she needs a raincoat in the rain; to know that she doesn’t like to walk on metal grates on the sidewalk; to know which way she likes to go around the block on her walks,” she said.

It was Staab’s unique concept of personalized dog care that also attracted Levine to DogCentric about a year ago. Shortly after graduating from the University of Maryland with a degree in History and unsure of her next step, Levine, now 24, had time on her hands and no money in her pockets.

“The thing I really like about DogCentric is you had the option to work at (the rescue league),” she said. “Doing this has really helped me to realize I would really love to do something with dogs.”

Dean, on the other hand, came to DogCentric after leaving a 13-year career in banking. She left corporate America behind in August and hasn’t looked back. “I wanted to work with dogs and leave the hustle and bustle of banking,” said Dean, 35. “It’s more fulfilling to be honest with you.”

DogCentric also happened to be the company that took care of her chocolate Labrador, Jasper. She is hoping the experience as a dog walker will lead to work in dog training. In the mean time, trading in her heels and stockings for khakis and running shoes has been great. “Dogs are better customers,” she said with a smile.
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