About US

The Washington Humane Society (WHS), the only Congressionally-chartered animal welfare agency in the United States, has been the leading voice for animals in the District of Columbia since 1870. As the only open-access shelter in the nation’s capital, no call for help goes unanswered, and no animal is ever turned away. WHS provides comfort and care to more than 20,000 animals each year through our broad range of programs and services including: sheltering, adoption, humane law enforcement, spay and neuter, humane education, human – animal programs, and lost and found services.

WHS enforces all of the District's animal laws under an 1870 Congressional charter, and all animal control laws under contract with the DC government. WHS operates the only open-access shelters in Washington, DC; a private shelter on 7319 Georgia Avenue, NW, and the DC Shelter (under contract by the Department of Health) on 1201 New York Avenue, NE.

In addition to the two animal shelters, WHS operates a low-cost National Capital Area Spay & Neuter Center, on 1001 L Street, NE, located in the heart of Capitol Hill, a new animal training facility located on 7315 Georgia Avenue, NW, and the administrative offices, located on 7838 Eastern Avenue, NW.

WHS has ninety dedicated employees, twenty-two distinguished members on the Board of Directors and more than three-hundred and fifty active volunteers.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Jay Timmons, Chairman

Mary Matalin, First Vice President

Laird Patterson, Second Vice President and Treasurer

Theresa Brown, Secretary

Steve Bralove, Vice President

Marie Drissel, Vice President

Anissa Grossman, Vice President

Nina Benton

Ambassador Priscilla Clapp

Jan Cousteau

Ellen (Kassoff) Gray

Ambassador William Harrop

Holly Hazard

Joan Welles Jackson

Erika Kelton

Jennifer Sullivan

William Tiller

William Vance

Andrew Weinstein

Charles Weir

Michael Ziskind

Lisa LaFontaine
President & CEO