ARMAC Contacts

Mailing address

Akita Rescue Mid-Atlantic Coast
313 Quaint Acres Drive
Silver Spring, MD 20904

Please Note

Due to extremely high call volumes — we field over 800 calls per year from owners needing to surrender dogs — we are temporarily limiting the types of phone calls we will accept.

  1. We will return phone calls from the following people and groups as soon as possible. If a machine answers, please be sure to leave both day and evening numbers.
    1. people interested in adopting an Akita
    2. people interested in fostering an Akita
    3. former adopters of ARMAC orphans
    4. shelters, humane societies, and rescue groups
    5. people who are having health or behavior issues with their Akita(s), who want to solve these issues, but not give up their dog(s). (If you attempt to use these issues as a ruse to give up your dog, we will terminate the call immediately.)
    6. people who want an evaluation of their dog for health or temperament
  2. We will not return phone calls from owners seeking to surrender their dogs (except former ARMAC orphans).

If you must give up your dog immediately, please contact your dog's breeder or your local animal shelter/animal control.

If you can keep your dog until it finds a home, we may be able to assist you by posting the dog on our web site and/or advising you on home screening and dog placement.

For posting on the web site, a dog must be neutered or spayed, have current vaccinations, be free of heartworms, and have no bite history. Proof of current shots, heartworm check, and spay/neuter can be faxed to 301-347-3048, or scanned and e-mailed to surrender@akitarescue.org. At the same time, please e-mail a digital photo and write-up to surrender@akitarescue.org. Your write-up should include: dog's name, date of birth or approximate age, weight, how well the dog gets along with other animals (cats, male dogs, female dogs, big dogs, little dogs), how much the dog has been exposed to children (and what ages), whether the dog is food or toy possessive, whether the dog is housebroken, crate trained, or obedience trained, how well the dog walks on lead, whether the dog rides well in a car, whether the dog is an escape artist, whether the dog has separation anxiety or is destructive in the house (and if so, how and when). Also describe any physical problems and past surgeries. Important: include a contact name and phone number or e-mail address. Any information you provide may be posted on our web site. We reserve the right to edit text and photos before posting. By submitting a write-up and/or photo to us, you are implicitly granting us the right to alter or publish them on our web site and possibly on other web sites that list animals in need of homes.

We will be happy to advise on the screening of homes and dog placement. First, please read this article from akitarescue.com:

We strongly advise you to have all potential adopters read the following articles from our web site:

We urge you to be very careful in your placement and investigation of potential new owners. See Pet-abuse.com for a sobering look at what's at stake. And keep in mind that these maps show only the cases that were brought to the attention of the authorities and prosecuted — there are many, many more that are not reported.

Regarding biting dogs: our insurance does not allow us to rehome a biting dog, and generally, neither does a surrendering owner's. If your dog has bitten frequently or unprovoked or has killed or severely injured other animals, please consider euthanasia. If you insist on placing the dog on your own anyway, you could still be held liable if the dog gets out of his new home and bites a human or severely injures or kills another pet, even if the new owner was informed about the dog's aggression and bite history.

For rescue, adoption, fostering, or volunteer information

Puller Lanigan Maryland 301-680-0788
Jodi Marcus Virginia 703-730-0844
Lisa Gray Virginia 703-257-9298
Betty McDade Virginia 703-524-9163

For fundraising information

Matthew Davis Maryland
Lisa Gray Virginia 703-257-9298

For website issues, problems, comments, or suggestions

Matthew Davis Maryland