Dogs of all shapes and sizes will have free rein to wander the Congressional Cemetery this weekend — with their owners, of course.

The Hill East cemetery will hold its annual Day of the Dog event on May 7, according to cemetery officials. Leashed dogs will be able to sniff around the historic grounds at 1801 E St. SE.

Dog owners usually need to pay a yearly $225 membership fee, plus $50 for each of their four-legged friends.

Vendors from Atlas Brew Works and Port City Brewing Co. will be on hand, along with a selection of food trucks. The day also will feature a 5K race and kids’ fun run, with entry costing $40 for adults and $10 for children.

The festivities are set to run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Click here for full event details.

Photos via Facebook/Congressional Cemetery

Fiona is the Hill Pet of the Week. She’s a 5-year-old Terrier who can be adopted. Here’s her bio shared by the Washington Humane Society shelter on New York Avenue NE:

Hi there! My name is Fiona. I am told that I have the softest fur and the sweetest brown eyes.

I was found after being abandoned and I’m a little shy and uncertain of myself at the moment, but if you show me some affection I won’t be able to help myself from giving you gentle kisses and little nuzzles. The rest of the time I’ll give you your space and find a quiet corner to curl up in until you want to pet me again. And, if you have a stuffed lamb or teddy bear for me to take with me to my corner I’ll be sure to keep them warm and safe while we sleep.

My doggie foster brother and sister say I’m there to play, but I much prefer to snuggle with them. My foster Mom wants me to mention that I’m perfectly house-trained and have even learned to use pee pads for those days she has to work late and can’t get home to let me out. My ideal home would be a calm, quiet environment with someone who would be willing to help me with my confidence.

To adopt Fiona or other pets from the Humane Society, see the Petango adoption siteor call 202-576-6664.

Want your pet to be considered for Hill Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least three horizontal photos of your pet. Each week’s winner receives a gift bag of dog or cat treats from Metro Mutts, along with 100 Metro Mutts Reward Points.

Known for “What dogs and cats want. What owners need,” Metro Mutts specializes in products and services for passionate pet owners. Now offering individualized dog walking, pet sitting and cat care from two store locations on Capitol Hill, on Barracks Row and on H Street NE. Learn more at www.metromuttsdc.com.

Photos via Washington Humane Society

Rocko is the Hill Pet of the Week. He’s a 1-year-old Terrier/ Pit Bull mix who can be adopted. Here’s his bio shared by the Washington Humane Society shelter on New York Avenue NE:

Rocko here! I’m a super lovable dog available for adoption at the Washington Humane Society’s New York Ave shelter.

I came to the shelter because my family could no longer care for me. Although I am still a young dog I’m medium energy and to be honest my favorite past time is hanging out with human friends. As you can tell from my photos I am really good at sitting in my friend’s laps.

I also like to go on long walks and runs and I think I would probably love going on hikes – checking out nature and seeing new sites with my humans sounds like a perfect day to me. Come meet me today and make me a part of your family!

To adopt Rocko or other pets from the Humane Society, see the Petango adoption site or call 202-576-6664.

This weekend, the Washington Humane Society will run a special adoption price of $11.26 (the date of Thanksgiving) for all animals.

Want your pet to be considered for Hill Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least three horizontal photos of your pet. Each week’s winner receives a gift bag of dog or cat treats from Metro Mutts, along with 100 Metro Mutts Reward Points.

Known for “What dogs and cats want. What owners need,” Metro Mutts specializes in products and services for passionate pet owners. Now offering individualized dog walking, pet sitting and cat care from two store locations on Capitol Hill, on Barracks Row and on H Street NE. Learn more at www.metromuttsdc.com.

Photos via Washington Humane Society

Alice is the Hill Pet of the Week. She’s a 1-year-old Terrier/Pit Bull mix who can be adopted. Here’s her bio shared by the Washington Humane Society shelter on New York Avenue NE:

Don’t let my short stature fool you- I’m a girl with a BIG personality! My favorite activities include headbutting people to get them to pet me, running around with my favorite toys, and as you might have seen in my profile pictures, snuggling in my favorite person’s lap.

I’m a social butterfly who will greet every person who passes me by. At only a year old I’m full grown in size but still have some of that puppy energy left over- I’ll definitely need some exercise and training before I’m worn out at the end of the day.

To adopt Alice or other pets from the Humane Society, see the Petango adoption site or call 202-576-6664.

Want your pet to be considered for Hill Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least three horizontal photos of your pet. Each week’s winner receives a gift bag of dog or cat treats from Metro Mutts, along with 100 Metro Mutts Reward Points.

Known for “What dogs and cats want. What owners need,” Metro Mutts specializes in products and services for passionate pet owners. Now offering individualized dog walking, pet sitting and cat care from two store locations on Capitol Hill, on Barracks Row and on H Street NE. Learn more at www.metromuttsdc.com.

Photos via Washington Humane Society

NoMa dog owners voiced their desire for a dog park at a dog-friendly meeting with Councilman Charles Allen of Ward 6 yesterday.

At 5:30 p.m. yesterday, Allen visited an empty lot at 200 K St. NE that local dog owners have converted into an unofficial dog park. But with construction set to start soon on Union Place, a 14-story residential building on that lot, residents are hoping to secure a permanent, official dog park in the area.

More than 450 people have signed an online petition asking Allen to join the fight to bring a permanent dog park to NoMa.

Allen’s office could not be reached to comment on yesterday’s meeting. But he did voice his support for a NoMa dog park in September.

“I have been a longtime supporter of adding parks, public space, and green space in the NoMa neighborhood,” he said in an email.

The NoMa Business Improvement District, which manages funds to build parks in NoMa, said in a statement yesterday that they are aware of the petition and are working to find a location for a dog park.

It also added that they are working on acquiring land for parks and would announce “important news” about land acquisition soon. An official at NoMa BID could not give any further information about the developments.

Several residents thanked Allen for his visit via Twitter, and Metro Mutts and Petco were on hand with free dog treats and toys to keep the dogs occupied throughout the meeting. Metro Mutts is the sponsor of Hill Now’s weekly Pet of the Week.

Thanks @CharlesAllenW6 for stopping by the “unofficial” dog park at 2nd and L Streets! pic.twitter.com/NIID0QBH4p

— Near North Fourth (@NN4th) October 7, 2015

Great turnout for #NoMaDogs at the 2nd and L “unofficial” park! Thanks, @CharlesAllenW6! pic.twitter.com/BlVlBeLUh5

— Near North Fourth (@NN4th) October 7, 2015

ICYMI: Meeting with @CM_CharlesAllen for #NoMaDogPark went well! Happy to support w/free treats & toys. https://t.co/4RATfA32lC

— Metro Mutts (@MetroMutts) October 8, 2015

AtlasVet on the H Street corridor is raising money for suicide prevention in honor of one of its doctors who killed himself.

The animal hospital at 1326 H St. NE has organized a team to participate in the American Association for Suicide Prevention’s “Out of the Darkness” walk on Oct. 10 as a tribute to veterinarian Keith de la Cruz, who died in July.

More than a dozen of the doctor’s friends and colleagues will take part in the walk, an annual event to increase awareness of suicides and get money to help stop them. The team so far has raised more than $2,000 online, about $3,000 less than the animal hospital’s goal of $5,000.

Chris Miller, a veterinarian at AtlasVet who organized the team for the walk, said the event is a chance for the animal hospital’s employees to work through their grief together. AtlasVet hired counselors for workers following de la Cruz’s death, and Miller said the walk is an opportunity to channel their emotions into action.

“You want to be able to do something to help, and it’s hard when there’s nothing you can do,” he said. “I think knowing that we’re going to have this event to prevent something like this from happening again is really meaningful to everyone here.”

Photo via Twitter/AtlasVet

Friends and coworkers of a well-liked veterinarian on the H Street corridor who died in July are slated to hold a celebration in his honor this weekend.

Former clients and friends of Keith de la Cruz are invited to attend the gathering at Quincy Park in Arlington (1021 North Quincy St.) near the Virginia Square Metro station at 4 p.m. Sunday.

De la Cruz was an animal doctor for almost three years with AtlasVet at 1326 H St. NE before he died in July. Prior to joining AtlasVet, he worked for ten years at Caring Hands, a family of veterinarian clinics in Virginia. The celebration was organized by friends and former coworkers of de la Cruz’s at Caring Hands.

“We want it to be more of a tribute to his life than a memorial service,” said Michelle Vitulli, a Caring Hands veterinarian, who helped set up the event. “We want to celebrate Keith and all that he brought to each of us: his coworkers, his friends, his band members and the community.”

De la Cruz was very well-regarded by his clients at AtlasVet, many of whom have taken to the hospital’s Facebok page to share fond memories of him. De la Cruz was 42 when he died, according to a page posted by Dignity Memorial National Funeral Home in Falls Church, Va., where friends and family can share memories.

The cause of his death is not clear, and de la Cruz’s coworkers at AtlasVet and Caring Hands declined to say how he died.

In addition to de la Cruz’s former clients and friends, pets are welcome at the gathering in his honor. But a Facebook post by AtlasVet notes they must be “licensed, vaccinated and well-behaved” and remain on a leash.

Photo via Facebook/AtlasVetDC

Duke is the Hill Pet of the Week. He is a nine-month-old black Labrador retriever with a lot of energy. Here’s his bio shared by his owner, Ryan Gearhart:

Duke is an avid Nationals fan. He is still confident that they will make the playoffs this season. He loves going on long walks through the beautiful Capitol Hill neighborhood and Yards Park. Duke loves to go shopping for fresh farmers market veggies every Saturday at Eastern Market. he is always down to meet new friends (both animal and human) and enjoys running, playing tug-o-war and wrestling with his buddies. This guy loves to show off his webbed feet and swimming skills whenever he has the opportunity.

He dislikes it when mommy and daddy are trying to rest. Duke will have none of this! He will make his discontent known with pleasant (not annoying) barking and by dropping toys in our laps. We’re not sure why, but bales of hay scare the heck out of him.

Want your pet to be considered for Hill Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least three horizontal photos of your pet. Each week’s winner receives a gift bag of dog or cat treats from Metro Mutts, along with 100 Metro Mutts Reward Points.

Known for “What dogs and cats want. What owners need,” Metro Mutts specializes in products and services for passionate pet owners. Now offering individualized dog walking, pet sitting and cat care from two store locations on Capitol Hill, on Barracks Row and on H Street NE. Learn more at www.metromuttsdc.com.

Photos courtesy of Ryan Gearhart

Rocky is the Hill Pet of the Week. He’s a 3-year-old beagle mix, who loves to spend time with other dogs. Here’s his bio shared by his owner, Lari Lavigne:

When asked what he’s mixed with, our usual response is, “half beagle half trouble.” He loves going to Marion Park and Garfield Park to see his friends and spends many weekdays in DogMa [daycare and boarding for dogs], which he also loves. On weekends, he gets to walk all the way down to the National Mall and back to his home near Eastern Market. His favorite adventure is visiting our cottage in Northern Neck, Va. where he can run free and chase rabbits and squirrels until he’s completely worn out. His idea of relaxing at the river house is a snooze on the back of the boat while we fish.

He loves going to the market on the weekends and knows the blue reusable bag we always take. When we pull that out, he starts running around the living room and jumping at the front door. He will literally pull you all the way to Metro Mutts and then run in to immediately sit by the cash register until they give him a treat. No . . . he’s not spoiled. He’s the best sight in the world after a long day at the office.

Want your pet to be considered for Hill Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least three horizontal photos of your pet. Each week’s winner receives a gift bag of dog or cat treats from Metro Mutts, along with 100 Metro Mutts Reward Points.

Known for “What dogs and cats want. What owners need,” Metro Mutts specializes in products and services for passionate pet owners. Now offering individualized dog walking, pet sitting and cat care from two store locations on Capitol Hill, on Barracks Row and on H Street NE. Learn more at www.metromuttsdc.com.

Photos courtesy of Lari Lavigne

Max and Mila are the Hill Pets of the Week. Max is a 5-year-old golden retriever. Mila is a mutt who is about 5 years old. She is probably some sort of a rottweiler-shepherd mix. Here are their bios shared by their owner, Elizabeth Johnston:

Max and Mila are best friends. He loves tennis balls. She loves stealing them from him. He loves lazing around. She loves forcing him to wrestle with her. Both dogs love Lincoln Park, especially if it is muddy.

Max and Mila are aggressively friendly. So, stop and say, “Hi,” if you see them around the Hill.

Want your pet to be considered for Hill Pet of the Week? Email [email protected] with a 2-3 paragraph bio and at least three horizontal photos of your pet. Each week’s winner receives a gift bag of dog or cat treats from Metro Mutts, along with 100 Metro Mutts Reward Points.

Known for “What dogs and cats want. What owners need,” Metro Mutts specializes in products and services for passionate pet owners. Now offering individualized dog walking, pet sitting and cat care from two store locations on Capitol Hill, on Barracks Row and on H Street NE. Learn more at www.metromuttsdc.com.

Photos courtesy of Elizabeth Johnston

A pit bull killed a puppy in Congressional Cemetery earlier this month, the group that manages the grounds said today.

The fatal attack happened Aug. 1, the Association for the Preservation of Historic Congressional Cemetery said in an email to dog walkers. The owners of the dogs were both members of the K9 Corps, which oversees use of the Hill East cemetery by dogs.

The pit bull’s owner has left the K9 Corps, and the dog will “never again visit the grounds,” according to the association. It wasn’t immediately clear if the pit bull was put down.

“Tragic and troublesome though this event has been, the [association’s board] and [K9 Corps] are very satisfied, and even impressed, by the conduct of the staff and dog owners throughout this difficult case,” the group said.

Paul Williams, the association’s president, told Hill Now that the death was an “unfortunate incident,” but declined to comment further.

The association’s board has decided not to change any of its dog walking rules after the attack. But the organization reminded dog walkers in its email that all K-9 Corps dogs must be spayed or neutered and controlled by their owners.

“No set of decisions in this matter would ever have been fully satisfactory to every one of [the cemetery’s] valued stakeholders, but we hope that this sad episode will ultimately be a teachable moment for our governance and our collective responsibility to serve the spirit and heritage of the cemetery,” the group said.

Photo via Wikimedia/Mr. Johnson, often nefarious