City Dogs Rescue

GOAL: Provide temporary quality care for the dogs and cats we rescue in a nurturing home environment while they await adoption.

We can't save cats and dogs without foster homes. It's that simple! Since we don't have our own facility, we rely on private volunteer foster homes to care for our dogs and cats until they are adopted. A foster’s job is to help their dog or cat acclimate to their new environment by providing a stable home (some have never lived indoors before), consistent and healthy meals, and patience, love, and affection—something many of these animals have not experienced before.

CDCK provides supplies, monthly medications, and pays for all medical care that arises while the dog or cat is in foster.

GOAL: Provide high-quality care for our animals in a manner that still allows us to be good stewards of our resources.

Maintain our standards of care in concurrence with the Asilomar Accords definitions of “Healthy,” “Treatable,” “Unhealthy &​ Untreatable." CDCK is a no-kill rescue in that every medically and behaviorally "healthy" and "treatable" dog or cat that comes into our care will be saved. This means prioritizing safety and quality of life for both the animals and people in our community.

CDCK's medical and behavior budget is approximately $600,000 to provide care for 1,000-1,500 dogs and cats annually. We regularly treat animals with parasite infections, viruses acquired in their previous shelters, heartworm disease, orthopedic conditions, and more. Additionally, CDCK partners with local trainers and medical behaviorists on an as-needed basis to support the animals in our care.

GOAL 1: Successfully place adoptable dogs and cats in committed and loving forever homes in the DC Metro region.
GOAL 2: Be an educational resource in order to promote responsible dog and cat guardianship in our community.

Potential adopters complete an application that allows the organization to understand the expectations of potential adopters and their readiness to commit to companion animal guardianship. The application is both thorough and educational. Volunteers screen applications to identify what we believe will be the best environment for each particular cat or dog. Volunteer applications counselors work with applicants to both identify a dog or cat that will fit their lifestyle and further discussions around expectations and needs of the particular animal of interest. Once an applicant is fully approved and ready to adopt, they complete an adoption contract agreeing to provide responsible care and companionship to the dog or cat they adopt.

Additionally, CDCK continues to provide mentoring support to all adopters after adoption.