Staring contest: Animal Allies seems to have a particular affection for felines, but the group offers dogs for adoption, too. (dungodung via Flickr)
Today, we’re gonna talk about an organization that’s near and dear to me, or, sniff, sniff, OK, an organization that bequeathed me Minx, a six-pound ball of gray fur and attitude.
I’m talking about Animal Allies.
Minx – or Minxies, as she’s commonly known – is a half-Tonkinese kitty who everyone mistakes as a Russian Blue. But I knew that wasn’t true early on.
How? Well, besides the fact that the friendly lady at Animal Allies told me Minx was half-Tonka, she meows in Tonkinese (mother) and regular kitty (hit-and-run dad) but not in Russian.
Yes, she’s beautiful, and no, you can’t touch her, even if you’re a cat person. Get out of here. I’m the only one.
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We’re a misanthropic pair, Minx and I. No one else will have us, so we’re stuck together, bearers of three languages and a miserable fortune. But we’re still here, and we have rights, too.
Animal Allies is “a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization dedicated to the rescue of homeless and abandoned animals.” Founded in 1984, Animal Allies is spread out all over Northern Virginia.
These people really care about cats and will work to find them a home. Believe me, they stayed on me until I adopted Minx. Like I said, for whatever reason, I’m the only person that cat’s ever seemed to like. Lucky me.
How about you? Living and working in the Washington, D.C., area can be stressful enough to break anyone. Wouldn’t you want to come home to a furry, purring pal? Sometimes it feels like a pet is the only true friend one can have. Just check out some of these cuties.
As you can see on their listings, the folks at Animal Allies make sure you know what you’re getting. Does the kitty in question like other cats? Dogs? Kids? Does it have health issues? Has it been declawed?
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Each animal is also checked for diseases and spayed or neutered (if they’re too young, you’ll need to have them spayed or neutered at the appropriate time as a condition of adoption). There is an adoption fee of course, but your money goes right back into rescuing animals.
Another good thing about Animal Allies is that it’s a no-kill shelter, so you can feel good about that.
The organization provides other ways for you to help cats as well, including opportunities to foster a cat, act as an adoption show coordinator, or donate funds or time.
If you’re an apartment renter in Northern Virginia – or anywhere in the metro area, really – get on the site and find yourself a lifelong friend.
