For most kids, their 13th birthday means blowing out candles, having a party, and becoming a teenager. For Sabrina of Bethesda, and other Jewish teens, their 13th birthday is marked with a Bar or Bat Mitzvah, which signifies their entry into adulthood and ability to lead their communities. Sabrina studied with a religious teacher for the better part of a year, delivered a speech in front of her whole congregation at Temple Sinai in DC, and completed a charitable project benefitting City Dogs & City Kitties Rescue that related to her Torah portion. 
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From interacting with street cats in Jerusalem to playing with her family dog Rizzo, Sabrina really connects with animals. With her Bat Mitzvah Torah portion focused on 2nd chances and Moses smashing the 10 Commandments, choosing a project that gives animals a second chance connected everything. 

Sabrina’s family friend runs an organization that teachers kids how to be philanthropists. That was how Sabrina started researching the different ways to help animals. CDCK’s mission resonated with her the most – and we couldn’t be more grateful that it did.

When she learned that CDCK's biggest need was money, she sprung into action. With some help from family and friends, Sabrina spread the word far and wide asking for donations. (She also got creative and used cat food wrapped in pink tissue paper as decorations at her Bat Mitzvah!) Folks who she knew – and some she didn’t – donated so generously because they knew how much Sabrina cared. And they really wanted to commemorate her Bat Mitzvah.

When all was said and done, Sabrina raised over $5,000 to help fund CDCK’s new Intake and Operations Center!
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It is clear that Sabrina’s amazing accomplishment isn’t by accident. In Sabrina’s family, community service is a legacy. Her great-grandfather helped get the Smithsonian institution off the ground (he even has a brick in the castle on Washington, DC’s National Mall!). And her parents are so happy that Sabrina found something she’s passionate about and an area where she can make a huge difference. 

Sabrina is such a remarkable teen. She isn’t the kid who you’ll find up in front of a group of people, and she may never be the loudest person in the room. But when it comes to animals, it’s clear that it’s her passion and something she’ll be involved in for the rest of her life. 

To commemorate Sabrina’s hard work, CDCK will dedicate a transport of animals to the DC area in her honor. She’ll also be a Guardian Level donor in the CDCK fundraising campaign.  

Sabrina shows that any animal lover can make a difference at any age. Thank you so much to Sabrina and her family! ​

Full of adventure, Joey leaps and bounds across the leaf-riddled forest floor. His
feline senses are in full effect as his paws propel him at a tremendous speed.
Sun-strewn and quiet, the forest sets the stage as the perfect proving ground for
Joey and his chase for mischief.

Suddenly, Joey’s carefree adventure came to a halt--a bone-crushing one.
Although we may never actually know the events leading up to Joey’s traumatic
event, when he was found caught in an animal trap, we do know this
extraordinary kitten would have a journey ahead of him that would test his nine
lives.

With his front right leg severed, and his front left crushed, Joey found himself at
the mercy of nearly everything. He was found and rushed to a nearby
veterinarian clinic. As a stray, Joey received what services he could–his front
right leg area patched up enough that he would recover with his crushed left arm
largely untouched. Now, bouncing around on his two hind legs, Joey quickly
gained a reputation for himself and became well-known at the shelter he was
placed in.

It wasn’t long until this peculiar and sweet kitten found himself a home. Over the
course of a little more than a year, Joey had a roof over his head, a full bowl of
kibble, and a loving family member. Shortly thereafter, Joey’s luck ran out--again.
By no fault of his own, Joey was abandoned back where it all started, the clinic
that treated his injury from the trap. When he was dropped off at the clinic it was
closed and he was left outside without a crate or any form of shelter. Defenseless
and still grappling with his disability, Joey was able to find refuge under a nearby
shed to stave off predators and the elements until he was found.

With the first chapter of his journey now coming full circle, the shelter reached out
to their rescue partner, City Dog City Kitties Rescue (CDCK). With a network of
more than 600 volunteers, the rescue services at CDCK provide newfound
freedom and a second chance at life by transferring pets from under-resourced,
at-risk rural shelters to loving families living in the nation’s capital. For the last 10
years, CDCK has provided forever homes for nearly 9,000 pets, as well as,
established a strong foster network that acts as interim caretakers for more than
200 dogs and cats at any given time.

When Joey first arrived in Washington, D.C., he was placed with his interim
caretaker, CDCK foster Patricia. It was immediately apparent that Joey was still
full of spirit despite having to be an absolute survivor. Instantly Patricia noticed a
terrible laceration on his front left wrist. With the crushed leg relatively untouched
by medical care, Joey utilized the soft underside of his arm almost as though it
was a walking stick--and without the naturally-provided protection of the pads of
his paws, suffered a further injury on his front leg.

While Patricia and CDCK rescue determined what best next steps in Joey’s
care were needed, Joey quickly adapted to his new foster home and lived
completely oblivious to his disability. Hopping along for so long, the strength of his back two legs now enabled him to propel up onto nearly anything. With Patricia’s keen and loving attention she could easily begin to determine which out-of-sight “meows” were playful or signaled a need for help to get back down from a newly conquered height.

With a care plan being developed for Joey, Patricia would take him to a local
D.C. veterinarian’s office to bandage up his remaining left front leg and try to
provide temporary relief. Clearly, this kangaroo-kitty needed more treatment than
just bandages (which often fell off with his exploring)--it was determined that
despite his front left leg being completely crushed, keeping the leg with an
installed medical rod would regain Joey’s ability to use his paws as a crutch,
versus his sensitive wrist.

Five thousand dollars. That was the price tag for Joey to get back to his
normal. In a world where orthopedic surgery on cats is extremely rare, the
community behind CDCK understood and recognized the amazing journey
Joey had survived and the years ahead he would have filled with tenacity and
love for his family. CDCK’s community of alumni adopters, volunteers,
employees, and friends raised the full amount necessary for Joey’s
life-improving surgery.

Patricia shared, “Joey has had a lot of angels in his life. You wouldn’t be able to tell him that he was any different than any other animal...he can be such a sweet rascal. He is pleased to befriend both cats and dogs and his mobility hasn’t been slowed despite his differences. As time went on it occurred to me that Joey and I grew to a point where we just really knew one another and became a duo. I can tell when Joey needs my help from the next room and I can simply tap my shoulder to get him down into my arms and then safely on the ground...then he’s off to the next adventure. I knew then I was completely foster-failing this kitty and wanted to be his forever family.”

Patricia, now Joey’s full-time forever Mom, expressed her gratitude to CDCK for being a compassionate, volunteer-driven organization. She continues to volunteer her time as an intake coordinator for the rescue, when she isn’t busy trying to keep up with her kangaroo-kitty, Joey.

To learn more about how you can support the City Dogs City Kitties Rescue organization by adopting, fostering, donating, or sharing your talents by volunteering, please contact The Administrative Staff at info@citydogsrescuedc.org or (202) 567-7364. For more information on the rescue itself, please visit https://www.citydogsrescuedc.org.

Bella, Sue, and Bill are back from their trek and sharing  their adventure with us.  They learned a lot about camping, running, and carriage riding with a dog...

We have the most exciting news!! Gracie is safely back with the rescue!! Dedicated volunteers, lost dog lead Carlyn K., Gracie's foster Leah W., and Jessica and Mark M. NEVER gave up on a happy homecoming.
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​Want a break from the same old, same old? ​“These animals have fun and cool personalities. Everyday is new,” says cat foster Jess P. “I really get to see these animals evolve and grow on a daily basis.” Dog foster Patricia B. asks, “Who can resist so many extra moments of joy and happiness?”

​Fostering is also a wonderful way to meet more people. Tracy W. makes sure to put CDR’s “Adopt me” vest or bandanna on his foster dog for their daily walks. “I am continuously stopped by people passing by and have even gotten a couple dogs adopted that way.”

Fosters who provide a temporary home give these dogs and cats the opportunity to escape high-kill and overcrowded shelters. You are giving them the chance to live while building unforgettable memories and warm fuzzies knowing you saved a life. To learn more about fostering, and to apply, visit: www.citydogsrescuedc.org/foster.html. ​

CDR&CK is a foster-based all breed rescue in the Washington, D.C. metro area. Due to the nature of our rescue, CDR&CK is focused on rescuing dogs and cats that are in jeopardy of being euthanized due to overpopulation.

A variety of dogs and cats in shapes, sizes, pedigrees and temperaments find themselves in overcrowded high-kill shelters, where resources are severely limited. City Dogs Rescue partners with specific shelters and commits to saving several dogs each month per shelter. 

Strays, hoarding seizures and owner surrenders typically describe the background of our dogs and cats. When an owner surrenders their dog to a shelter, there is typically no hold time for that dog, as opposed to a stray who's owner is given time to come claim their lost dog. If the shelter is overcrowded, owner surrendered dogs are typically the first dogs to be euthanized to make room.

Rescues like CDR&CK step in at this point, offering to cover the adoption fee, medical expenses, boarding costs and transportation of a dog until arrangements can be made to bring the dog to the Washington, D.C. area and placed into a foster home. Since CDR&CK doesn't have it's own shelter, we rely on foster parents to care for our animals until they are adopted. Foster parents help us learn more about a cat or dog's behavior, training level, and personality so that we can match them with the right forever home.