That partner rescue is Happy Tails Rescue of Washington County, and its president is Loni Willey, pictured above. To say that Loni is an amazing force in the rescue world is to understate her impact, compassion, and driving force behind the saving of thousands of cats and dogs - not only through Happy Tails but also working with House of Puddles and Basset Rescue of Old Dominion.
We could not describe Loni any more eloquently than those who worked directly with her in those rescue organizations. From SFC Virginia:
We want to take a moment to recognize an extraordinary member of the Virginia animal rescue community, Loni Willey. For the past 10 years, Loni has served as President of Happy Tails of Washington County, an animal rescue and networking group that works directly with the Washington County, Virginia animal shelter. Washington County has historically had one of the highest euthanasia rates in the state, a reality that would be far worse without the tireless behind the scenes work of Loni and the Happy Tails team. In 2024 alone, 742 animals from Washington County were transferred to partner rescues that could provide veterinary care and help them find homes. That represents more than 50 percent of all animals who entered the shelter that year... Without Loni and her team, this shelter would not be able to achieve live outcomes for so many animals. This work requires constant communication with receiving rescues at all hours, countless emails and messages, urgent late night pleas, and the physical transport of animals to partner shelters. Every bit of this is carried out by Loni and her small group of dedicated volunteers.
And now the rescuer needs rescue. The angel for so many cats and dogs - just 56 years old - has terminal cancer, and as a result has lost her job, and medical insurance.
As reported in the Fairfax Daily Voice:
Loni Willey never wanted the spotlight — but as word spreads across Virginia that the woman who helped save more than 10,000 animals is now in hospice care, the community she built is making sure she knows just how much she mattered.To volunteers, partner rescues, veterinarians, and fosters, she wasn’t just a leader — she was the person you called when things got hard. She filled every role that needed filling. Transport driver. Coordinator. Foster home. Paperwork handler. Problem solver. Advocate. Thousands of dogs and cats found safety, healing, and permanent homes because Willey simply never stopped fighting for them.
In the past dozen years, FFGW has placed more than 560 cats directly saved by Happy Tails and Loni.
You can read more about Loni, and see the Go Fund Me set up by her friends, here:
Happy Tails will continue Loni's work, and we will continue to assist them.
