Tag: animals
New Virginia laws legalize marijuana, abolish death penalty, protect absentee voting
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam signs legislation allowing localities to establish green banks. Third from left: bill sponsor Del. Kaye Kory (Annandale). A long list of laws passed by the Virginia General Assembly and signed by Gov. Ralph Northam are now in effect. The following laws took effect July 1 unless otherwise noted: Marijuana Legal possession … Continued
Cicada lessons at Belvedere featured on TV news
Belvedere students examine a cicada. [Photos: FCPS] By the time the cicadas from Brood X started emerging earlier this month, students at Belvedere Elementary School in Annandale were ready and eager to study them up close. Two environmental educators, a librarian, and a resource teacher have been educating students about the 17-year cicadas for weeks, … Continued
Ill raccoon spotted near nature center
If you’re planning to walk near the Hidden Oaks Nature Center in Annandale, watch out for a potentially rabid raccoon. A sign at the Nature Center urges people to watch out for a “raccoon displaying symptoms of illness seen near the trail and stream April 12 and 13.” That stream backs up to the Lafayette … Continued
Fairfax County seeks public feedback on dog parks
Fun times at the Mason District Dog Park. The Fairfax County Park Authority is seeking public comment on the draft report of its Dog Park Study. The study, initiated in 2019, recommends strategies for long-term planning, development, and management of dog parks.
Zoning board approves backyard chicken coop in Annandale
Gerald Miranda’s backyard, where he plans to install a chicken coop. The Fairfax County Board of Zoning Appeals approved a special permit Feb. 10 to allow Annandale homeowner Gerald Miranda to keep 10 chickens in his backyard. Under the zoning code, homeowners need at least two acres to keep domestic fowl by right. Miranda’s lot … Continued
Zoning board rejects backyard chickens in Mason District
The Fairfax County Board of Zoning Appeals on Nov. 18 denied a special permit that would have allowed a Mason District homeowner to keep five chickens in his backyard. Afm Sohel Mahmud of 6807 Gouthier Road in the Bel Air neighborhood in the Falls Church got the chickens as pets for his 6-year-old daughter and … Continued
Rental goats clear out Annandale homeowner’s overgrown yard
Daffodil Cindy Carlson’s wooded backyard in the Sleepy Hollow Woods community in Annandale had gotten overgrown, and she didn’t want to use chemicals on the weeds or have people do the backbreaking work, so she invited Clover, Peanut, Snuggles, and five of their friends to take care of the problem. Clover et al are goats, … Continued
Bear spotted in Annandale
The bear takes a rest in an Annandale backyard. A young black bear has been spotted in Annandale in recent days – on Garlot Drive in the Camelot neighborhood, Lutrell Road, and Queen Elizabeth Boulevard – and further west, on El James Drive, Red Fox Drive, and other locations in the Braddock District. The bear … Continued
Runner and service dog in training coming from New Jersey for the Taste of Annandale 5K
Christina Olson and Daisy Most people planning to run in the Taste of Annandale 5K Race on Saturday morning are from Annandale or surrounding areas. Christina Olson and Daisy are coming from Summit, N.J., for the race. For Olson , the Taste of Annandale 5K is an opportunity to add one more state to her goal … Continued
Police dogs will help relieve stress and PTSD
Police Chief Edwin Roessler (center) at a briefing on a new K9 program. [FCPD] The Fairfax County Police Department has five new K9 recruits – Jack, Holmes, Lennie, Indy, and Sully. The dogs will be deployed to help reduce the effects of a traumatic event, including fear and anxiety, for first responders and community members, … Continued
Police identify officer involved in dog shooting
The Fairfax County Police Department identified the officer who shot a dog at Green Spring Gardens as Police Officer First Class Yousuf Ashraf of the Mason Police District. Officers had initially responded to the park June 25 for a report of two dogs running loose. One of the dogs, a German Shepherd, bit two visitors. … Continued
Police officer shoots dog at Green Spring Gardens
An officer from the Mason Police District “deployed deadly force against a dog” around 12:30 p.m. on June 25 at Green Spring Gardens, the Fairfax County Police Department reports. Officers initially responded to a complaint about two dogs running loose at the park and that one of them bit two park visitors. As officers located … Continued
Paws for Pets: These cats are inseparable
Danielle Areco with Blackbeard and Smokey. Paws for Pets is an occasional series highlighting dogs, cats, or any kind of pet. If you would like to share a story about your pet in the Annandale Blog, contact [email protected]. Blackbeard and Smokey are a bonded pair of all-black, male cats available for adoption or fostering. They are … Continued
Swarm gathers on a Bee-M-W
Bees congregate on a car. [FCFRD] When someone contacted the West Annandale Fire Station about a bee swarm on a BMW parked at an office complex April 30, Capt. Dave Weand know what to do. “At times, people call the Fairfax County Fire and Rescue Department for a variety of non-fire or emergency medical situations … Continued
Baby squirrels who fall from their nests can be saved
Melissa the squirrel baby. When a Fairfax resident had a tree cut down, and a baby squirrel was found in a nest that had fallen to the ground, she contacted the Wildlife Rescue League to find out how to keep it alive. As the area was experiencing freezing temperatures at the time, she kept it … Continued