A community mourned together Thursday night at a candlelight vigil for the 10 dogs that drowned when 6 feet of water rushed into a doggy daycare in Northeast D.C. Monday.
Four days after that wall of water flooded District Dogs, the mourners gathered at Tanner Park.
Dogs barked as the names of the dogs that died were read.
“We are a community that lifts each other up in our best times and mourns together during our worst,” said Alyssa Weinersandler, who organized the vigil.
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She said she couldn’t believe it when she watched the dramatic rescue unfold on live TV. Her dog, Bernadette, wasn’t there Monday, but she knew many of the families whose pets didn’t survive.
“I didn't want this to be about who’s to blame,” Weinerslander said. “I wanted there to be a space where people could shut that noise out and just sit and mourn, to be with community.”
The gathering was bittersweet for Caroline Kruk, whose dog, Emmy, was rescued Monday.
“Tearing up,” she said. “It’s hard to hear, it’s hard to imagine. I’m really thankful for the happy ending I got, but to know that others weren’t as lucky and to see the faces of those who did feel that loss is really powerful and really heartbreaking.”
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