Sip Solace Brewing’s Rescue Ale and Support Pet Adoption

This October, beer fans and animal lovers can head over to Lost Dog Cafe to sip Solace Brewing Company’s Rescue Ale and support rescue efforts for dogs and cats.

The charity brew, which benefits the Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation, will hit shelves at Solace Brewery on Oct. 8 and will start being poured at all Lost Dog Cafe locations on Oct. 9. A portion of all sales of Rescue Ale will be donated to LDCRF.

There are five Lost Dog Cafe locations, with one in Dunn Loring (2729A Merrilee Drive) and one in McLean (1690A Anderson Road).

The brewery will host a distanced adoption event, and an online auction will offer winners a tour of the brewery as well as  pooch and beer-themed merchandise.

Lost Dog Cafe is a long-time supporter of the rescue and donates a portion of its revenue to support the care of animals rescued by LDCRF. Local breweries have brewed a Rescue Ale in support of LDCRF for the last four years, and this is Solace’s second year making the charity beer.

The fundraiser comes at a time when Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation is handling an influx of adoptions as well as many new requests to foster dogs for short stretches. The stay-at-home orders in response to the coronavirus pandemic resulted in a huge spike in requests for both options, with consultations conducted through Zoom and over the phone. This spring, rates were already up 60 percent, volunteer Kim Williams told Tysons Reporter in April.

As of this September, the organization rescued 2,183 pets and facilitated the adoption of nearly 2,100 dogs and cats, Williams said.

“We’ve broken every record we’ve ever had,” Williams said.

Rehoming animals from the Northern Virginia area was so successful that the shelter started bringing in roughly 30 animals per week from rural shelters in Georgia, Mississippi and Southern Virginia. Some dogs are flown in from Puerto Rico.

In rural areas, healthy dogs may not be spayed or neutered, leading to a surplus of puppies, Williams said. Others are bred as a source of cash, but when breeding goes wrong, the dogs are abandoned, she added.

“There is not a dog that we cannot find or get,” she said. “It’s not their fault that they were born in the wrong zip code and landed in an area with an over-population of dogs and cats.”

With the purchase of a new rescue care center in Falls Church two years ago, LDCRF has been able to expand its ability to care for animals — especially during crises, such as the coronavirus pandemic, when animal shelters are prone to shutting down and forced to euthanize the animals.

The care center is not open to the public, but pets are shown online and the adoption process occurs outside.

Large gatherings like the 2019 “Paws Vegas” event are off the table, but LDCRF has adapted to
the coronavirus restrictions. This year, it is hosting an auction featuring 10 tickets to a private “Behind the Brew: Rescue Ale Canning Day Fundraiser” tour hosted by Solace Brewing Co.

Bidding started on Wednesday and will close at 12 p.m. on Oct. 26. Visit their website for more information and to place your bids.

Each ticket includes:

• A guided tour by one of the Solace Brewing Co. founders
• The opportunity to see the canning process of this year’s Rescue Ale
• A first taste of this special brew with catered lunch
• Rescue Ale 2020 T-shirt
• Four-pack of Rescue Ale (16-oz. cans) to take home
• Lost Dog Cafe and Lost Dog Rescue Foundation pint glass
• Solace Brewing Co. pint glass

Those looking to adopt can join the foundation on Oct. 10 at Solace Brewing Co. (weather permitting) from 1-4 p.m. for a distanced, outdoor adoption event (masks are required). LDCRF offers same-day adoptions, so attendees can bring home their new pets that day.

Photo via Solace Brewing Company/Facebook