Awwwwww....Shelter Pets Thank The Volunteers Who Helped Them

For Volunteer Appreciation week at the Fairfax County Animal Shelter, the animals got a chance to say thanks to the volunteers and foster families who helped them.

1. Betty Boop

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Betty Boop desperately needed a break from the shelter, where she had been waiting several months to find a home. A foster family stepped forward and invited Betty into their home. Now she'll stay in foster care until she's adopted into her forever home.

2. Malcolm

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Teeny Tiny Malcolm was much too little to be adopted so he got to go live with a foster mom who fed him, cared for him and taught him some critical life lessons...like how to take a selfie!

3. Diamond

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The shelter receives dozens of homeless guinea pigs and rabbits every month, and volunteers bring them fresh veggies every day. The small animals get excited when they hear the rustling of a produce bag, and all the guinea pigs start squeaking!

4. Mike

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Volunteers do just about everything around the shelter, including sprucing the place up! Here, volunteer Mike varnishes a worn bench. The bulletin board above him was also designed by volunteers.

5. Lady

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The shelter's power hour program allows volunteers take dogs out for a one hour adventure. Lady's favorite outing was when two volunteers took her to get ice cream. She's hoping to get adopted soon and that her new family will let her try every flavor!

6. Niko

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Niko was one of 25 small dogs taken from a hoarding case. All of the dogs were in desperate need of grooming and bathing. Volunteers cared for each and every one, and they were all adopted.

7. Luli

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Luli hated life in the cat condos and she wasn't very friendly to potential adopters. A kind volunteer took Luli home, where her real personality blossomed. Turns out, this pretty kitty is outgoing, funny and quirky!

8. Yared

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Yared, a 14-year-old Lynx Point Siamese, was shy when he arrived at the shelter. Our volunteers gave him some extra time and TLC, and he was soon showing his cuddly side. Yared is still looking for his forever home!

9. Alice

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When little Alice came down with an upper respiratory infection, her foster mom sprung into action. With some antibiotics, extra cuddles and even her own vaporizer, Alice recuperated in style until her adoption.

10. Baxter and Wilson

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Our shelter dog play groups are a hit with the dogs, staff and volunteers alike. Play groups are a great way for multiple dogs to get exercise and socialization at once and for staff to see how they interact with others. They also reduce the dogs' stress, but to the dogs, they're just plain fun!

11. Freddy

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Freddy was a talkative older gentleman who spent a long time in the shelter. He became a shelter favorite, and one volunteer developed a strong bond with him. After a trial run in her own home with her cats didn't work out, she became Freddy's best advocate at the shelter until a spot opened up for him at a local rescue.

12. Corey

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Our volunteers work not only at the shelter, but they bring our shelter animals to offsite events in order to introduce them to a wider audience. Corey spent several months at the shelter while volunteers worked tirelessly to find him a home. Their advocacy paid off, and he was adopted by a loving family.

13. King Tut

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Over 200 volunteers work nearly 2,000 hours a month at the Fairfax County Animal Shelter. Their tasks include everything from answering phones to photography to taking the dogs out for potty and exercise breaks.

14. Sullivan

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Sullivan arrived at the shelter in bad shape. A senior dog who was found stray, he had arthritis and a case of fleas that was so bad that most of the hair on his hind end had fallen out. Volunteers doted on this sweetheart and celebrated when he was adopted.

15. Patty

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Patty was very sick when she arrived at the shelter. Worse, she was so anxious that she couldn't stop jumping and crying. Shelter staff spent their own time training her until she was ready to go into a foster home. Safe in her foster family's home, Patty surprised everyone by revealing that she was a bit of a couch potato! Even more amazing was the friendship she struck up with the family's cat.

16. Trudy

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We're pretty sure we have the most creative staff and volunteers around. They are constantly coming up with new and better ways to advocate for the animals, and it's working! In 2013, the Fairfax County Animal Shelter became the largest open-access municipal animal shelter in the country with an annual positive release rate of over 92%!

17. Maddie

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In this volunteer's arms, Maddie is the picture of true bliss. Not long after this photo was posted on the shelter's Facebook page, Maddie found her forever home!