About us
Rescue, rooted in the District
We're a volunteer-powered, foster-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit finding homes for at-risk dogs across Washington, DC and the DMV.
How it started
District Dogs Rescue began in 2021 in a Petworth living room, with one overcrowded shelter's plea for help and a scrappy group chat of neighbors who couldn't say no. The first dog was a shy hound named Franklin. He was adopted in nine days.
Three hundred and forty dogs later, the group chat has become a network of foster families, transport drivers, photographers, and dog-obsessed volunteers across the DMV — but the mission hasn't changed: find the dogs who are out of options, and give them one.
We have no shelter building, no paid staff, and no overhead to speak of. Our dogs live on couches, not in kennels, which means we know each one as an individual — the good, the goofy, and the "needs a yard, not a fourth-floor walkup."
What we do
Pull
We partner with overcrowded municipal shelters in DC and rural Maryland and Virginia to take in dogs who are out of time, out of space, or overlooked.
Heal
Every dog is spayed or neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, and treated for anything else they need — heartworm, dental work, a few weeks of good meals.
Match
Foster families learn each dog inside and out, so we can match on real personality — not a kennel card. Our adoptions stick because the fit comes first.
The humans behind the hounds
A few of the volunteers who keep the leashes untangled.
Alex Rivera
Founder & Director
Jamie Chen
Adoptions Coordinator
Morgan Okafor
Foster Program Lead
Sam Patel
Volunteer & Events
Where the money goes
We take transparency seriously. District Dogs Rescue is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 00-0000000), and donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law. Roughly 92 cents of every dollar goes directly to veterinary care and dog supplies; the rest covers insurance, software, and adoption-event costs. Our annual Form 990 is available on request — just ask.
Be part of the story.
Adopt, foster, volunteer, or donate — there's a place in this rescue for you.