Humane Society brings Christmas cheer to dogs

WASHINGTON - There's no holiday for staffers at local animal shelters.

There are the animals in the shelters to take care of - and then there are the guard dogs left out in the cold at businesses throughout D.C.

So Washington Humane Society staffers like Officer Ann Russell hit the streets with toys stuffed with food.

Her first stop: a business in Northwest D.C.

"All right kids, it's Christmas!" Russell yells.

Russell will make more than 10 stops around D.C. on Christmas Day.

She says it's fun to see the dogs wag their tails and line up for a pat or a scratch.

"It gives us a chance to check the conditions of these animals, make sure there are no violations of the D.C. code out here and making sure everyone's healthy and happy," Russell says.

Russell says about 50 dogs are being used as guards at businesses around the city.

"The numbers are dropping, which I think is great," Russell says. "They're dogs, they're not security systems. You can use cameras for that."

With that, Russell turned to give a last pat to Lady and Bear, two of four dogs behind a chain link fence at a Northwest business.

Russell says the lot owners have mixed feelings about the visits by the officers, but the goal is to make sure that the animals get the care they need - and a special treat on a special day.

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