Meghan Cohn has been actively involved with Old Dominion
Humane Society for eight years. When she first began volunteering at the rescue
shelter in 2016 at just 12 years old, she loved it so much she yearned to be around
the dogs there all the time.
“I wanted to be at the rescue 24/7, but as a member of an
active family in multiple clubs and sports, it got harder to go to there as
much as I wanted,” she recalls. “So, with a little convincing, my parents said
we could start fostering. I took that as I could bring home all the dogs and
start my own little rescue.”
Which, in a way, is exactly what she did. In all, Cohn has
fostered 14 pregnant dogs and their litters, looking after more than 100
puppies through the years. She keeps the mother dogs and their little ones safe
in a kennel located in her garage until they are well enough and grown enough
to be more independent. Puppies typically can do everything on their own at
about six weeks of age.
At 14, when her schedule allowed, Cohn resumed volunteering
at Old Dominion Humane Society with the Saturday morning crew, feeding, caring
for, and walking the dogs, as well as preparing for the shelter’s Saturday
events. She’s barely missed a Saturday since.
“If I’m not working, you will find me somewhere with the
dogs,” Cohn shares. “I also pop over there through the week when I have some
spare time. As far as fostering goes, I will foster who ever needs it the most,
so my foster rotates a lot.”
Cohn, who resides in Stafford County, is currently fostering
one dog named Ballistix, whom she took in when the dog was three months
pregnant. All of her puppies have since been adopted. Cohn also has a personal
dog, Sadie, a 12-year-old Basset hound mix who is a certified therapy dog. In
addition to Old Dominion Heritage Humane Society, Cohn spends time at local
assisted living facilities, hospitals, and libraries with Sadie. She also likes
traveling and kayaking in her spare time.
Sadie isn’t the only animal who’s won over Cohn’s heart and
home.
“I started my own mini zoo, with a hamster, a turtle, fish,
chickens, a cat, and five dogs,” says Cohn, whose day job is in logistics with
a specialty in hazardous shipping at BallistiX Coatings & Sealers in
Fredericksburg. Although, if she had it her way, she’d work with animals all
day long.
“I want to retire and live on a farm,” she says. “I don’t
see myself ever being able to escape the rescue.”
Cohn, who’s also previously volunteered with the
Fredericksburg SPCA, feels that when it comes to animals, especially dogs, she
just has that special connection.
“Dogs do speak, but only to people who know how to listen,”
she says. “You have to find what speaks to you.”
