A few days ago, Israel was on his way to pick up dogs in D.C. when he noticed a nondescript truck with Texas plates tailing his van. When he stopped, several masked men identifying themselves as immigration agents approached him. Without visible badges or any official markings, they demanded proof of legal residency. Thankfully, Israel had the necessary identification on hand, and the agents eventually let him go.

Israel was understandably shaken up by the experience, which appears to be part of a campaign of racial profiling undertaken by ICE in D.C. Most of all, he was worried about what might happen to our beloved pets if he or another driver were unexpectedly or unlawfully detained. The ICE agents who accosted him seemed ready to leave a van full of dogs unattended at the side of the road.

Please consider donating to help Israel and Dogpal during the ongoing federal assault on D.C. This is a scary time for all of us, and nobody should have to risk their personal safety, detention, or even deportation in order to pick up our dogs. Donations will be used to help cover Dogpal costs related to this crackdown, including assistance for drivers who do not feel comfortable picking up pets at the moment; potential legal aid; and assistance for employees and their families targeted by ICE.