How a pet rescue is helping federal workers find solace after job loss
Tim, one of the kittens Mollie Kolaitis is fostering, holds onto her right foot.
Image: Mollie Kolaitis
As a 10-year-old, Denise Joseph told everyone she wanted to be Mother Teresa.
While Joseph never became a saint, her passion for public service drew her to the Education Department, where she began working as an analyst in 2015. But when Joseph was placed on administrative leave in January - and learned three months later she would be fired - she turned her attention to something else: dogs.
Joseph began fostering two mixed German shepherd and Labrador retriever puppies, Wren and Wrigley.
'I have a reason to get up in the morning,' Joseph told The Washington Post, 'to walk the dogs and feed them and, you know, to help calm me.'
Joseph is one of a handful of former federal employees who are taking advantage of an animal rescue's recent offer in Arlington, Virginia. Lucky Dog Animal Rescue is providing free supplies, including food, toys, bowls, leashes, collars, treats and crates, to fired federal workers who foster dogs or cats.
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Wren, a mixed German shepherd and Labrador retriever puppy, is being fostered by Denise Joseph
Image: Denise Joseph
Mirah Horowitz, Lucky Dog's chief executive, said the program is great for the pets who get a temporary home, and also the foster volunteers, who might find solace in caring for a pet.
'The cost to the former federal employee or contractor would be, you know, their time and their love,' Horowitz said. 'And we will provide the rest.'
When sweeping job cuts in the federal government began in February under President Donald Trump's administration, Horowitz said her already overflowed rescue became more crowded. Some fired federal workers gave up their pets because they were moving or could no longer afford veterinary care, Horowitz said.
In the following weeks, Horowitz said she considered waiving the $200 to $500 adoption fees for fired federal workers. But she realized they might need a more flexible situation while they look for new jobs and possibly new homes, she said.
To make the program feasible financially, Horowitz said Arlington's Dogma Dog Bakery agreed to sell food to the rescue at a reduced cost. She said foster volunteers in the program save between $100 to $200 per month.
Donna Davis of Arlington, Virginia, began fostering 1-year-old King, a mixed Rottweiler and German shepherd, last month.
Image: Donna Davis
One volunteer is Donna Davis, who said she was fired from her contracting position with the Defense Department in February. However, when Davis picked up King, a mixed Rottweiler and German shepherd, last month, she was uncertain if the partnership would work out.
King, who weighs nearly 80 pounds, pulled Davis into streets while she held the leash and barked at other dogs. He ate a David Mamet book Davis borrowed from the library, prompting Davis to spend hours taping the pieces of paper back together.
But a few days later, the 1-year-old pup became attached to Davis. When Davis took King to the Shirlington Dog Park in the evenings, King looked back every few minutes to ensure Davis was still there.
Lucky Dog provided Davis squeaky toys, two beds, a leash, crunchy biscuits and bone broth treats. Davis made her own beef liver treats.
Tabitha and Tiffani, kittens Mollie Kolaitis is fostering, nap together
Image: Mollie Kolaitis
King has become a beloved figure at Davis's church, where she takes him on Wednesday nights and Sunday mornings. A week after Davis began fostering him, King growled when others approached Davis - a sign he was protecting her, Davis said. They ran a five-kilometer race together at Theodore Roosevelt Island.
Davis has struggled to find work, she said, and has considered leaving Arlington.
On April 30, she posted a picture of King on Facebook, seeking his permanent home. But now, Davis said she is considering adopting King - even if she's dreading the librarians' reactions when she tries to return the book King ate.
'I gave up a lot of my life for this dog,' Davis said. 'And that's okay. I feel like that's not necessarily a bad thing.'
While Lucky Dog's program is for fired workers, former federal employees who recently accepted buyout offers have also fostered pets with their spare time.
Mollie Kolaitis, who took a buyout from her job as an attorney adviser in the Department of Health and Human Services in March, has turned her home office into a room for her new foster cats. The nine kittens she began fostering last month have been distracting, running across her desk in Waterford, Virginia, and accidentally opening Microsoft Excel when they step on her laptop. But Kolaitis, 41, said the experience has been rewarding.
Wrigley, a mixed German shepherd and Labrador retriever puppy, is being fostered by Denise Joseph.
Image: Denise Joseph
'It's something nice to pour yourself into and take your focus off of things that are happening right now,' Kolaitis said, 'and just feel like you're doing a little bit of good for the world when it doesn't feel like there is a lot.'
Since taking the buyout, Kolaitis has also fostered a Chihuahua mix and her four babies. She mixed dog food with formula and fed the puppies through a syringe in her sunroom. She house-trained them before they were adopted a few weeks later.
'People who go into federal service, they have an interest in the public, and they have an interest of wanting to help others,' Kolaitis said. 'And, you know, if they're looking for something to do, this is a really good way to spend some time.'
Joseph, the analyst who was fired from the Education Department, said she couldn't sleep after she received an email Jan. 29 with a letter attached. It said she would be placed on administration leave 'pursuant to the President's executive order on DEIA,' referring to Trump's efforts to end diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility programs in the federal government.
Walking Wren and Wrigley around her neighbourhood in Waldorf, Maryland, three or four times a day has brought her joy. She has house-trained them - but she still bought a patch of turf to place in front of their crates in case they relieve themselves inside.
While Joseph said Wren and Wrigley, both 16 weeks old, are bigger than she prefers - they're each roughly 35 pounds and counting - she plans to foster them until someone adopts them.
Then, she might find more dogs to foster while she job hunts.
'I just have this mindset to help people and to help raise them and train them,' Joseph said, 'so they can be their best selves - or their best animal selves.'
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