WASHINGTON (7News) — District Dogs is welcoming a new leader almost a year after a fatal flood in Washington, D.C. took the lives of several animals and left the company scrambling for answers due to calls for accountability.
The doggy daycare, boarding and grooming service announced that local business owner, Tina Leone, will be taking the reins as the new chief executive officer. She will be working alongside District Dogs founder Jacob Hensley to focus on business development and the District Dogs franchises, according to a statement released by the company.
Hensley's role in the company has since transitioned into Executive Chairman of the Board.
Leone has more than 25 years of transformational economic development and management experience in the region and was the CEO of the Ballston BID in Arlington, Va., the company stated. She expressed that she is eager to take the role and sees this opportunity as a “dream job.”
“What truly excites me about joining District Dogs is the opportunity to work every day alongside dedicated people who share my deep love for dogs,” Leone said. “That combined with my extensive experience in leading and growing organizations, aligns perfectly with my personal values and professional aspirations. It is truly a dream job! I look forward to working with Jacob and the entire District Dogs team to further develop and strengthen our business by creating the community programs, events, and experiences that will exceed our clients’ expectations and enrich the lives of the dogs we are fortunate to serve.”
This new turn in leadership comes after a total of 11 dogs died while under the company's watch. Ten drowned during flash flooding in August 2023 at the Rhode Island Avenue location. One dog died after allegedly being hit by an employee at the company's Navy Yard location on Feb. 16
READ| Multiple dogs dead after District Dogs daycare in NE DC floods again
The company was also hit with a lawsuit led by eight families whose dogs died during the August 2023 flooding incident. In the filings, the pet owners accused the company of gross negligence, among other claims. The lawsuit alleged the deaths were “foreseeable and preventable” and claimed District Dogs Inc. and its founder and former CEO Hensley neglected to take action.
RELATED | Families sue District Dogs for negligence after eight dogs drowned in flood
District Dog's Rhode Island Avenue location has also suffered a long history of flooding dating back to July 2022 and reported incidents on Aug. 5, 2022, and Aug. 10, 2022.
Nearly a year before the fatal flood in August 2023, 7News covered the installation of flood control barriers outside of the business after the building flooded three times in less than one month. D.C. Water has said the area of Rhode Island Avenue has experienced “chronic flooding” as far back as the late 1800s.
