Loudoun County Animal Care & Control took home three awards at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Government's 2007 Animal Services Awards, presented recently in Washington, DC. The Department was honored with the 2007 Adoption Award for "Homeward Bound 2007: Adopt Around the Clock", a 40-hour adoption marathon held on June 29 and 30, 2007. This event celebrated the 40th anniversary of the Loudoun County Animal Shelter by keeping the shelter open for adoptions for 40 consecutive hours. Thirty-six animals found new homes during the two-day event.

The Council of Governments (COG) is a regional organization of Washington area local governments, composed of 21 jurisdictions in the Metro Washington area. COG's Animal Services Committee hosts an annual awards ceremony to honor outstanding work in the field of animal welfare, including animal sheltering and animal control.

Animal Care & Control also received the Outstanding Customer Service award for its ongoing commitment to providing excellent service to the public. In 2007, Loudoun's customer service staff received a 95% rating of "Good" or "Excellent" from visitors to the Shelter, despite a major increase in call volume without a corresponding increase in staff.

Chief Animal Control Officer Kim Miller was presented with the Dedicated Service Award in recognition of her 29-year career at Loudoun County Animal Control, and her contributions to animal control throughout the state and the region.

"We are so proud of what we have accomplished over the past year, and are honored to be recognized by our peers," remarked Animal Care & Control Director Thomas Koenig. "I was so impressed to hear all of the nominations and the great things individuals and groups are doing at animal welfare organizations in this region."

The Loudoun County Animal Shelter is located at 39820 Charles Town Pike, Waterford, VA 20197. Shelter information & directions can be found at www.loudoun.gov/animals.