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Australian Shepherd
When you run into fellow dog owners on the sidewalks of Del Ray, you open a dog rescue.
Or at least, that’s what Karen Johnson did.
The Aussie Rescue of the Mid-Atlantic, or ARMA, is a new dog rescue that aims to be a model of a new, community-centered approach to helping animals find forever homes. Their focus is on Australian shepherds, a breed that is popular but notoriously difficult to find homes for.
Since their launch in August of 2022, they have provided new homes for 112 Aussies. They are an organization entirely run by volunteers who transport the dogs, work with previous owners and shelters, assess the dogs’ personalities and needs, process adoption applications, and foster the dogs until they find the perfect match. They also work with nearby animal shelters, including some that use euthanasia.
Aussie Rescue of the Mid-Atlantic
Kirsten Anthony and her dog, Cece.
Aussies don’t tend to do well in shelters and they can be difficult to rehouse. They are herding dogs and need a lot of mental stimulation, says Christine Sennott, a Realtor and one of the founding members of ARMA.
“(They’re) more than just a cute puppy. They are highly intellectual dogs that have a job and that's what their heritage is,” Sennott said. “They keep order and they herd and they protect. And so without these jobs, these dogs can be very disruptive.”
Prior to launching ARMA, Johnson, who also operates PawsGo, started an Aussie owner meet-up group for her dog, Boomer. The group, which is housed on Meetup.com and Facebook, now has more than 2,000 members who participate in events from hikes to obstacle courses, all designed to keep their Aussies active.
Eventually, Johnson hatched an idea of an Aussie rescue — one that would be based locally and would rely on community support. Along with the other three founding members, Johnson had previous experience working at another large, national dog rescue. At that rescue, she never knew the leadership and they would hand down directives without taking into account the unique situation of individual regions and dogs. It was frustrating to take orders from someone who didn’t know what it was like on the ground.
“Not being this large, faceless, national organization is what we are aiming for with ARMA,” Johnson said. “We really try to stay in touch with our adopters, we try to stay in touch with our volunteers. “Not everybody wants to be part of the community, but the door’s open if you want to be.”
The Austrailian Shepherds of the DMV Facebook group is unaffiliated with ARMA, but continues to be a useful resource that brings Aussie owners and prospective adopters together. ARMA also provides educational resources to their owners and tries to maintain contact in order to support them.
ARMA also partners with a number of Alexandria businesses who provide free services to new dog owners. Chris Gabriel started a pet food company, Nature’s Nibbles, with his wife in 2005 after converting their dog to a raw diet and seeing the positive effect on his health. He provides a free bag of dry food or a 12-pack of Verus canned food to new ARMA adopters and encourages them to consult him anytime with questions about nutrition. Wholistic Hound Academy, another Alexandria-based company, offers a free in-person or virtual training session for new Aussie owners.
Kirsten Anthony’s dog, Cece, is an Australian shepherd mix who has a pink tag on her collar: No. 1, signifying that she was the first dog that ARMA rehoused. Originally from Colorado Springs, Colorado, Anthony came to Alexandria with her fiance and has lived in both Old Town and Del Ray. She knew Johnson because they would pass each other while she was walking her older dog, Simon, in Del Ray.
One day, six weeks before ARMA was supposed to launch, ARMA found a dog in Maryland who needed a home. Anthony remembers seeing Johnson while out on a walk. “Are you ready?” Johnson asked.
Anthony had Aussies growing up, but still learned new things from the ARMA resources that helped her adjust her lifestyle to an active dog. Anthony and Cece continue to take classes with the Wholistic Hound Academy. Right now, Cece is learning how to spin and wave.
ARMA is completely funded by donations, with volunteers often paying out of pocket for unexpected expenses. Johnson said that they ended up processing many more dogs than they had initially expected and also handled a number of tough medical cases. One dog came to them with 270 bladder stones and would have died if she had been left where she was. Another came to them with a neurological disorder.
“We were kind of, you know, flying the plane while we were building it,” Johnson recalled. Partway through their second year, the ARMA leadership and volunteers continue to learn new lessons with each dog they help, Johnson said.
This year, they will be the beneficiary of Del Ray Dog Fest. It is their biggest fundraiser yet, and they hope continued community support will allow them to help more dogs and continue to provide better training and enrichment. Someday, they would like to open a physical location — with enough land to run around on, of course.
Cece is doing well, and Anthony continues to volunteer with ARMA by donating toys and leashes and helping at events. She loves seeing the dogs come to life with their new owners.
“The first time you meet the dog, they’re so scared and the next time you meet up with them, the dog’s thriving,” Anthony said. “And you’re like, ‘Oh, they’re in such a good place.’”
