Gelato is a playful puppy who enjoys hanging out with other dogs, but the puppy also faces an incurable medical condition that means he likely only has months to live.
It’s a tall ask for any family to adopt a pet knowing that their time with the dog will be brief, but Gina Hardter, director of marketing and communications at the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria (AWLA), said the shelter was flooded with calls from locals offering to give Gelato the home he deserves — however briefly. Now Gelato has found his new family.
Hardter said 12 families reached out to inquire about Gelato after the AWLA posted about the dog on social media, but the first one to contact the shelter wound up being a good fit. Now, Hardter said he’s in a home with other dogs.
Gelato is a rare circumstance for the shelter. While cases do come in with incurable medical conditions like Gelato’s, they tend to be older. Gelato is only around three or four months old.
“That’s very rare,” Hardter said. “A lot of people said they’ve never seen that in all their years of animal welfare.”
Hardter said when the team at AWLA first found out about Gelato’s condition, they believed he would only survive for days.
AWLA doesn’t euthanize animals for remaining in the shelter for any length of time, but Hardter said sometimes it can be necessary if the animal has a health condition that is negatively impacting their lives to the degree where it’s uncomfortable for them to live or if the animal is a danger to the community.
When that prognosis said the puppy likely had a few more months, Hardter said they got to work finding him a home to spend those months.
“We wanted to make sure we were doing the right thing,” Hardter said. “When we found out from the vet oncologist it was incurable cancer, we learned Gelato could have several good months [and he’s] not going to know he has a tumor or has cancer. He’s going to be a happy puppy up until his last days. We wanted him to have that time and in a home environment like any other puppy. That’s a big ask, a big imposition, but we know he deserves it and we have a caring, compassionate community.”
Recent Stories
Francis Deonte Rose was found guilty today of two counts of aggravated murder in the 2022 shooting deaths of two construction workers in the West End. The Commonwealth Attorney’s Office…
It’s been a busy week in Alexandria. There were multiple mayoral and city council forums and debates this week as the city gets closer and closer to the June 18…
The Cinco de Mayo fiesta is starting early this Sunday in Carlyle. From 9 to 10 a.m., Tequila & Taco (540 John Carlyle Street) will be selling six-ounce margaritas for…
After missing an important mayoral debate this week due to a “freak accident” while canvassing that led to his hospitalization, Steven Peterson says that he’s done sitting on the sidelines….
Good news, D.C. area. You can save money on your next home cleaning with Well-Paid Maids. It’s easy!
We offer a discount when you set up recurring cleans — and the discounts just increased this week!
For weekly cleans, get $30 off each cleaning.
Potomac Harmony is Back! Following a gap year of competing, then virtual rehearsals during the pandemic, followed by the well-earned retirement of our long-term director, a year of a director search, Potomac Harmony hit the regional contest stage in Concord, North Carolina in March for the first time since 2018! It was exhilarating, reaffirming, and rewarding!
The chorus hit all of its goals, the biggest of which was to have fun and sing our best on contest stage — we did both! Because we earned a score over 400 points, our new Director, Allison Lynskey, was awarded the Novice Director award, photo above. Additionally, one of our charter members, Jackie Bottash, was nominated for and honored with the Leadership Excellence award. It was a celebratory weekend!
What’s next? So much! We now look forward to upcoming performances, growing our membership, and expanding our musical product with new arrangements and an education component each week. It’s an exciting time to be part of this ever-growing ensemble!
Alexandria NAACP, Shiloh Baptist Church, DPC to hold City Council…
The Alexandria Branch of the NAACP, Shiloh Baptist Church, and The Departmental Progressive Club to hold the City Council Candidate Forum for ALL Candidates in the City of Alexandria Virginia. The event is Free of Charge and Open to The
