Animal Control Report: Dogs Off Leash in W&OD Greenway

Animal Control officers in Alexandria deal with a variety of calls every week. Here's a glance at some recent incidents in the city courtesy of Patrick Cole, the director of communications and outreach at the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria.

Dogs off leash in W&OD Greenway — On Feb. 22, Animal Control was summoned to Mount Jefferson Park and the W&OD Greenway near the 2500 block of E. Randolph Avenue, a frequent destination for the Animal Control office.

A nearby resident reported seeing a dog off leash in the public park. While there is a public dog park and exercise area within Mount Jefferson Park, several complaints have been made recently about dogs running at large outside of the designated dog area.

An officer arrived and patrolled the park, but was unable to locate any dogs or dog owners.

Animal Control is continuing to perform regular patrols of Mount Jefferson Park and the W&OD Greenway to remind dog owners that all dogs must be leashed while in public. The dog park and exercise area, which has its boundaries marked by bollards, allows for off-leash activity but several neighbors have reported seeing dogs off leash in the greenway.

More information about the City of Alexandria’s 18 dog parks can be found on the city’s website.

An unsightly yard — On Feb. 26, an Animal Control officer responded to a complaint in the 400 block of E. Del Ray Avenue. The complaint was about an unusually large amount of animal feces in the yard in front of a residence.

The officer observed many piles of feces in various stages of decay in the front yard of the home. The winter weather suppressed any foul odor, but the officer was concerned that a violation could occur when the weather gets warmer if nothing is done.

The resident was not home at the time of the Animal Control visit, but a notice to comply was left at the home. The resident later contacted the officer and stated that this is not normally how the yard is kept and the mess will be cleaned up immediately.

Spay-neuter clinic for outdoor cats — On March 10, a spay-neuter clinic will be held for outdoor cats in Alexandria. The clinic is free for cats from the Arlandria and Sanger Avenue-Beauregard Street neighborhoods, and low-cost for all other outdoor cats in Alexandria. Citizens feeding outdoor cats or interested in trapping and transporting should contact TNR@AlexandriaAnimals.org or 703-746-5581 for more information about this event.

Mardi Growl Gala set for March 8 — The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria is hosting its third annual Mardi Growl Gala on March 8 at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The gala is the AWLA’s largest annual fundraiser, and helps the organization continue to care for thousands of animals each year at the Vola Lawson Animal Shelter. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit the event website. All proceeds benefit Alexandria’s homeless animals.

For more information about Alexandria Animal Control, visit the AWLA website.