Ongoing electrical issues have prompted a location change for Reston Association’s seasonal dog paddle event.
The paddle was moved from Autumnwood Pool to Dogwood Pool (2460 Green Range Drive). During the event, owners can bring their dogs for a final dip in pools that have closed for the season.
The Autumnwood Pool was scheduled to close for the season yesterday (Sunday), but it was shut down prematurely in July after repairs to the electrical system that powers the facility’s filter pump failed.
“The source of the electrical failure has been identified, and we are in the process of finding replacement parts for the repairs,” RA wrote in a statement.
We hope you've been enjoying all of our Pools this summer! The following is a message from our Aquatics team about the upcoming Season 4 and Season 5 schedules and an update on Autumnwood Pool.
If you have questions, please call 703-435-6530 or email aquaticsinfo@reston.org pic.twitter.com/HrcXEVa6Em
— Reston Association (@RestonOnline) August 11, 2023
The next dog paddle is set for this Saturday (Aug. 19) at Dogwood Pool, followed by Hunters Woods Pool on Sunday. Additional events are planned at North Hills Pool on Aug. 26 and Sept. 2, and Dogwood Pool on Sept. 9.
There is a $15 fee per dog for RA members and a $20 fee for non-members.
The fourth season of RA’s pools begins today (Monday) through Sept. 24, including at Glade, Lake Newport, North Shore and Ridge Heights.
Season five will run from Sept. 5 through Sept. 24. It includes North Shore and Ridge Heights pools.
RA also announced on Friday (Aug. 11) that it has expanded the lap swimming and fitness hours at Lake Newport Pool through the fifth season “based on member requests.”
Due to ongoing electrical issues at Autumnwood Pool, next Saturday's Dog Paddle event has moved to Dogwood Pool. We look forward to seeing you there!
Sign up today at https://t.co/9QGMF9FLcq ⬅️#EnjoyReston #Reston #ThingsToDo #DogPaddle #FXVA pic.twitter.com/lhU1vOcOiA
— Reston Association (@RestonOnline) August 11, 2023
Photo via RA/YouTube
A pet resort has officially opened its doors to cats and dogs in Reston.
Giving Tree Pet Resort, a nearly 13,000-square-foot facility on a 1.7-acre piece of land on Association Drive, offers group daycare, individual daycare, getaway boarding and a day camp.
Owners can choose between tiered rooms like a presidential suite — which includes a 55-inch 4k Television, premium bedding and two forest walks — and a forest view deluxe room.
The business began when one of the owners adopted Dori, a mini schnoodle, but when the owner, Young, and his wife had to return to work, they struggled to find a place for their furry friend to spend during the days.
“Unfortunately, there was a serious lack of facilities nearby and the quality of the facilities that were available was not impressive,” a Giving Tree spokesperson told FFXnow. “Hence, him and his brother-in-law, Han, started to do some market search and found out that Reston had a pressing need for a pet resort — not [just] any, but one that will meet the standards of care of pet owners in Northern Virginia while being conveniently located.”
The owners settled on a location at 1912 Association Drive. The site was structured to accomplish the owners’ vision of serving the community and offering interactive and enrichment programs.
The business opened on July 1. It also offers grooming services, cat boarding, and a chauffeur pet taxi.
The pet resort could add an outdoor component if Fairfax County approves Giving Tree’s recently submitted request for a special exception. The business anticipates that the outdoor areas will be used by about 20 dogs at a time out of the 60 dogs expected at the facility, on average, each day, according to the application.
Chantilly-based nonprofit dog rescue organization A Forever Home Rescue Foundation and hip local brewery Mustang Sally’s have teamed up to bring together man’s two best friends: beer and dogs.
Mustang Sally’s (14140 Parke Long Ct A-C) will host a dog adoption and fundraising event on Saturday, Sept. 9 in collaboration with Forever Home, according to a Facebook post.
In honor of the event, Mustang Sally’s will brew a one-of-a-kind beer that will be on sale just for that day. Its name will be chosen by Forever Home, which is currently collecting submissions from the public that can be sent to patti@aforeverhome.net by Saturday (July 22).
Once the beer is named, Forever Home plans to create a web page where community members can pay a small donation fee to enter their dog’s picture into a prize drawing for the chance to have their pooch’s face featured on the label of the specialty beer.
All proceeds from the contest will go back to the dog rescue, though Forever Home representative Patti Stinson noted that exact details have yet to be “finalized.” After submissions close, Forever Home will choose its top five pictures and leave the final choice up to Mustang Sally’s.
For every four-pack of beer sold, Mustang Sally’s will donate a portion of the sales to Forever Home, Mustang Sally’s spokesperson Eric Javage told FFXnow. Javage also hinted that the limited beer would likely be a hazy IPA because “everyone likes a good IPA.”
In addition, event attendees will have the opportunity to meet and apply for ownership of Forever Home’s foster dogs on site. Stinson says Forever Home’s goal is to process all paperwork and send each dog home with its new owner within a week of an application submission.
For Mustang Sally’s, this joint initiative joins a long lineup of what Javage affectionately dubs “Yappy Hour” events. Just around the corner on Saturday, July 22, Mustang Sally’s will host a similarly structured dog adoption event with local animal rescue organization Mutt Love.
Javage, the proud owner of a rescue dog from Fairfax County Animal Shelter, told FFXnow that he has made it Mustang Sally’s mission to partner with at least one new local animal shelter every month.
Unsurprisingly, then, Stinson credits Javage for initiating the partnership and being “fabulous” in handling most of the leg work setting up the event.
Javage plans to continue using the brewery to “give out more brand awareness” to small, community-oriented organizations around Northern Virginia, he says.
“Our big vision is to use Mustang as a vehicle to help the community,” Javage said. Read More
The dog days are coming early to Tysons this year.
Canines will first be unleashed on the Plaza at Tysons Corner Center this Saturday (June 3) for the mall’s second annual Paws on the Plaza, a free event with pet-centric vendors, a dog park and a beer garden.
“Pups are invited to roam the dog park with obstacles and splash pads, while adults are invited to enjoy the Beer Garden, visit local vendors…or take part in other activations, like a pet friendly photobooth and free caricatures of your pet,” Tysons Corner Center said in a press release.
Paws on the Plaza will take place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Vendors will include two sponsors of the event: Becky’s Pet Care, which has locations in Springfield and Herndon, and PetMedic Urgent Care, a clinic slated to open in Tysons West this summer. The vacuum company Dyson is also a sponsor.
Participating vendors range from shelters like Lucky Dog Animal Rescue and Homeward Trails to retailers like Doodlebug Quilts and services, such as Woofies of McLean. There are also several businesses that make food for pets, including Barbie’s Doggie Bakery and the food truck Woofbowl.
A full list of vendors can be found on the event page.
The puppy love will continue the following Saturday (June 10) at The Boro, which will host Bark in Boro Park from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
While the scheduled training sessions have already filled up, the event will also offer a craft and “activation area” for kids, and a treat bar from Bluestone Lane with free food and drinks for both dogs and humans.
Wolf Trap Animal Rescue will also be on site with puppies to provide information about pet rescues and adoptions.
The first 100 visitors can get a live tag engraving for their pet, according to The Boro.
Bark in Boro Park was scheduled to coincide with LGBTQ Pride Month. Unlike last year’s “Yappy Hour,” where a portion of drink proceeds went to the Alexandria-based nonprofit Safe Space NOVA, there’s no similar nonprofit partner since admission and all of the Puppy Treat Bar items will be free.
“This year’s event is free for all to attend in the spirit of welcoming more of our neighbors to The Boro,” a public relations representative for The Boro said.
A dog attacked a cat and a rabid raccoon in Vienna earlier this month, an encounter that left the raccoon dead, police say.
The dog got loose in the 700 block of MacArthur Avenue NE and attacked the two other animals on May 12, according to the Vienna Police Department’s recap for the week of May 12-18.
The incident was reported on May 15 by a neighbor of the dog’s owner. The neighbor also told police that his own dog was bitten while he and the owner were both walking their pets at noon on May 8. The bite left “a puncture wound.”
“The Animal Control Officer in Fairfax County investigated these incidents and placed the dog under a 10-day quarantine,” the VPD said. “ACO Barker had a conversation with the dog’s owner, emphasizing the importance of ensuring the dog does not pose a threat to other people or animals in the future.”
The Fairfax County Health Department reported to police on May 16 that the slain raccoon had been tested for rabies and was confirmed to be positive.
“The owner of the dog was promptly notified, and the quarantine period was extended to the required 45 days,” Vienna police said, noting that both that dog and the dog of the resident who reported the incidents were up-to-date on their vaccinations.
About half of the 40 to 60 rabies cases recorded in Fairfax County each year involve raccoons, the county’s rabies program manager previously told FFXnow. The virus typically spreads through a bite or scratch and nearly always proves fatal.
Other notable incidents in last week’s crime round-up include three domestic assaults and a May 12 crash at the intersection of Locust Street and Branch Road where “the driver lost control, went over the curb, and struck a utility pole.”
The driver, a 69-year-old man from Vienna, was charged with driving while intoxicated.
Alcohol also figured into a trespassing incident at Yeonas Park around 3:30 p.m. on May 13:
Officers responded to the report of a man who was refusing to leave the ballpark. The Vienna Little League President advised he saw the man drinking alcohol and when he requested he leave the park, the man threatened him. The man was trespassed from the park by the Little League President and he left the area.
In addition, officers responded to three times to people playing pickleball at Glyndon Park outside of the town’s approved hours. The complaints came in at 7:36 p.m. and 9:07 p.m. on Wednesday (May 17), and at 9:02 p.m. on Thursday (May 18).
Separately, the VPD announced last week that a man had been arrested on Thursday for allegedly sexually assaulting a girl at a Vienna park.
Fairfax County police are investigating an apparent domestic dispute that involved a Centreville man and his family’s dog getting stabbed.
Brendan Hadermann, 22, of Centreville was arrested by Virginia State Police on Tuesday (April 25) after a pursuit that extended into Lorton. He has been charged with malicious wounding, animal cruelty, and disregarding police commands to stop.
Officers were dispatched to the 5500 block of Cedar Break Drive at 9:14 a.m. for the reported stabbing, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.
“The victim reported he suffered multiple stab wounds from a domestic-related incident,” the FCPD said in a news release yesterday (Wednesday). “When officers arrived, they also found the family dog suffering from a puncture wound to its abdomen.”
The man, who hasn’t been publicly identified, was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The dog was transported to an animal hospital, where it is currently in stable condition, the police said.
Scanner traffic suggests the man is Hadermann’s father, but the FCPD said it can only confirm that the incident is “domestic related” right now.
According to police, Hadermann was seen leaving the scene of the stabbing in a black Chevrolet pickup truck.
After an alert for the vehicle was sent to neighboring jurisdictions, Virginia State Police troopers encountered the truck on I-95 and attempted a traffic stop around 10:30 a.m. Hadermann evidently fled, leading to a high-speed chase that ended around 10:37 a.m. in the Lorton Valley area.
Hadermann is currently in custody at the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center, where he’s being held without bond.
The FCPD says anyone with information about this or similar cases can contact its detectives at 703-246-7800, option 5. Tips are also accepted through Crime Solvers by phone (1-866-411-TIPS) and online.
A trio of dogs was rescued from a townhouse fire in Centreville’s Bryarton neighborhood this morning (Wednesday).
Multiple Fairfax County Fire and Rescue units were dispatched to the 14600 block of Seasons Drive around 11:17 a.m., according to scanner traffic from Open MHz.
The fire department tweeted at 11:27 a.m. that units had arrived at the three-story residence and could see smoke issuing from the second floor.
“Crews working to extinguish a fire on the second floor,” the department said.
Per scanner traffic, firefighters said multiple pets were found in the townhouse. At one point, a responder report that there may be an elderly person in the house, but the department didn’t immediately confirm to FFXnow whether any people were inside.
The fire was extinguished shortly before 11:45 a.m., and no injuries were reported, including to the dogs, according to the FCFRD.
“Three dogs rescued are in good shape after treatment by #FCFRD firefighters and paramedics,” the department said.
UPDATE: Fire is out. Three dogs rescued by firefighters. #FCFRD https://t.co/PZuFoJcRhc
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) April 19, 2023
UPDATE- townhouse fire in the 14600 block of Seasons Drive in Centreville. Three dogs rescued are in good shape after treatment by #FCFRD firefighters and paramedics. No other reported injuries at this time. pic.twitter.com/zDteBtULYe
— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) April 19, 2023
(Updated at 3:50 p.m.) The family of the man who died after being dragged by a Metro train at the Dunn Loring station yesterday (Wednesday) has launched a Gofundme to cover their memorial service expenses.
The man has been identified as 50-year-old Harold Riley by one of his daughters, according to reports by FOX5 and NBC4, which say that he had two daughters and four grandchildren.
The daughter, who organized the fundraiser, told FOX5 that her dad’s dog, Daisy, is a service animal and was wearing a service animal vest when her leash got caught in the doors of the train — contradicting the Metro Transit Police Department’s initial statement that the dog “does not appear to be a service animal.”
“We tragically lost my father today in a train accident. As he was exiting the train the doors closed while his service dog was still inside. The train took off and my father was taken with it,” the Gofundme page says. “We want to raise money to be able to have a nice service and have him cremated. My father loved his grand children and his dog more than anything and he was such an amazing ‘PanPaw.'”
The fundraiser has a set goal of $3,000.
The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority confirmed this afternoon that Daisy is indeed a service dog in a statement first reported by NBC4’s Adam Tuss.
“The dog found by MTPD officers, now identified as Daisy, had a sweater vest on when she was initially found, covering a harness that read service dog,” a spokesperson said. “Again, we send our condolences and sympathies to the family of Mr. Riley.”
Just this morning, WMATA told FFXnow that its police department “found the dog without ID and did not find any vest or markers to indicate the dog was a service animal.”
In a statement yesterday, Metro Police said they received a report shortly before 1:30 p.m. that a person had been hit by a train at the Dunn Loring station.
Based on the preliminary investigation, Riley had exited the train, but the doors closed on his dog’s leash before the animal was able to deboard. When the train started moving, Riley got pulled along the platform and onto the tracks.
Riley was transported to a hospital, where he died. Daisy was found unharmed on the train at the West Falls Church Metro station.
The police department said the train operator had conducted two “safe door checks” before moving the vehicle.
A dog was chained up and shot this morning in the residential neighborhood behind the Woodlawn Shopping Center in Mount Vernon, police say.
Officers responded to the area of Bedford Terrace and Beekman Place at 3:35 a.m. after getting a call that there was a dog chained to a fence, according to the Fairfax County Police Department. Upon arriving, they discovered the animal had a gunshot wound.
“The chain was immediately removed, and the dog was taken to a nearby veterinarian’s office. The dog remains with the veterinarian receiving further care,” the FCPD said in a news release published this afternoon.
Police later determined that a community member had called earlier in the evening “after hearing a dog barking and a single gunshot,” the department said, adding that officers had searched the area but “did not find anything suspicious.”
The FCPD is now on the lookout for the owner of the dog, which is believed to be an adult, male Staffordshire terrier.
Police are asking residents in the neighborhood to review any surveillance footage they might have from last night. The department’s Animal Protection Police can be contacted at fcpdanimalprotection@fairfaxcounty.gov.
The FCPD also accepts anonymous tips through Crime Solvers by phone (1-866-411-TIPS) and online.
Dog daycare, boarding and spa chain Dogtopia announced yesterday that it plans to open a new location at 11039 Lee Highway in Fairfax early next month.
Dogtopia offers areas for playtime and exercise with live camera feeds so pet parents can watch their pets while they’re away. The daycare will also have contact-free curbside drop-off and pick-up service.
Dogtopia’s Fairfax location is scheduled to open in early February. The location will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday to Friday, and from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
According to the release:
Dogtopia’s environment allows dogs to feel comfortable, enjoy plenty of playtime and exercise, and the playrooms offer fun for dogs of similar size and temperament. Each playroom has compressed rubber flooring to ease joints, prevent slipping and promote safer play while trained Canine Coaches promot physical and mental activities throughout the day. Dogtopia maintains live camera feeds from inside their award-winning app allowing pet parents to watch and enjoy their dog’s playday at any time. The app is also how pet parents may reserve their play dates, overnight boarding visits, manage their account, and communicate with the daycare.
The company also has Fairfax County franchises in Falls Church, Tysons, Herndon, and Springfield.
