NoVA’s Pets of the Month: Garrett and Kemler Are in Search of Their Forever Homes

This cuddly pair is ready to settle down with a loving family.

By Kate Oczypok • Posted June 22, 2022 at 8:56 a.m.

Each month, we feature a dog and cat who are currently available for adoption at a local animal shelter. For June, we’re happy to introduce you to Garrett the dog and Kemler the cat.

Dog of the Month: Meet Garrett

Garrett is The Little Black Dog Rescue Group’s longest resident. He has been with the rescue, which was founded at the end of 2020, since February 2021.

Garrett is a happy-go-lucky, 70-pound boy who loves cuddling. He is curious and enjoys walks and car rides. He is both house and leash trained. He has a predisposition to hip problems and will likely need hip surgery at some point in his life. The Little Black Dog Rescue Group has graciously started a trust for Garrett’s future forever family to use toward surgery. The trust is currently at $5,000 and counting.

Garrett is currently available at The Little Black Dog Rescue Group, serving the DMV. Those interested in adopting him can visit thelittleblackdog.org/dog/garrett.

Cat of the Month: Meet Kemler

Nine-year-old Kemler is a diabetic who could “really use some exposure,” according to the Animal Welfare League of Arlington, where she is currently located.

Kemler doesn’t let her diabetes get her down. She gets insulin injections twice a day and eats special food, but other than that she’s a pretty happy girl. She’s a very chatty cat, a meower at mealtime, and a chirper when birds catch her eye. She is very affectionate and loves to curl up in a lap at least once during the day. Kemler prefers the finer things in cat life, like chin and ear scratches and getting brushed. She also loves to hop up on human beds for snuggle time.

Of course, Kemler likes to be playful, too, occasionally chasing after string, shoelaces, or being chased from room to room.

Thanks to a very generous donor, whoever adopts Kemler will get some financial assistance with her medical care.

Kemler is currently available at The Animal Welfare League of Arlington. Those interested in adopting her can visit awla.org/pet/kemler or call 703-931-9241.

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Kate Oczypok

Contributing Writer

Kate Oczypok has been a freelance writer since 2011, and is proud to be a regular contributor to Northern Virginia Magazine in digital and print since 2020. Her bylines have appeared in The New York Times, People.com, Better Homes and Gardens, and locally The Georgetowner and Washingtonian Magazine, among others. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Print Journalism from American University and a M.Ed. in Education from Penn State. She also teaches virtual piano lessons in the after school hours and does portrait photography on weekends.