Richmond SPCA pledges to shelter animals: I’ll be there for you
With Thanksgiving approaching, many people have asked us if we’ll be pushing to clear our humane center before the holiday. On the contrary, in the days leading up to Thursday, our transfer vans are on the road, visiting municipal shelters with the goal of bringing cats and dogs into our care to fill our kennels in advance of Thanksgiving.
Monday our transfer team visited Hanover County Animal Control; Tuesday they went to Pittsylvania, and today we have two vans on the road, with one team in Henrico County and another at the Charles City Animal Shelter. They’re bringing needy dogs and cats from our partner shelters to join 271 animals currently in our care. Though only 105 pets are currently available for adoption right now, many more are newly arrived, being evaluated by our behavior and medical teams, recovering from medical procedures in foster homes, and in other stages of preparation to find lasting homes.
Several pets we took in just last week were named for the characters on Friends, a reminder that as the memorable opening theme says, “I’ll be there for you!” These friends came to us from all over the region and are in various stages of readiness for new homes.
- From Cumberland’s County shelter we brought Rachel, Ross and Joey.
- Rachel had surgery to remove a mass and will remain in our care until after a post-operative checkup.
- Ross will soon be cleared for adoption after being sterilized on Tuesday.
- Joey needs to remain in the care of our veterinary staff as he is being treated for heartworms and being evaluated for ringworm, which requires a culture that takes several days to develop.
- Phoebe was transferred from Hanover County, was spayed last week and is available for adoption.
- Chandler arrived from Goochland and has already departed our care for a great adoptive home.
- Monica was transferred from Farmville, and after being spayed this week, she’s now ready for adoption.
Our animal care technicians are here for them as they arrive, ensuring that cozy beds and toys greet every pet when they’re shown to their kennels, and on Thanksgiving these devoted staff will still be giving walks, cleaning cages, delivering meals and pets and snuggles. Because our mission never takes a holiday. Though we’ll be closed to the public on Thanksgiving Day, along with animal care, Internal Veterinary Services will be here making rounds with medications for the pets in our care who are undergoing veterinary treatment prior to adoption. Many of our volunteers also plan to visit the center on Thursday before their own celebrations, such as our Running Buddies volunteers who will take dogs on an 8:30 a.m. run. And other pets are guests of honor in foster homes where volunteers have made them a temporary part of their families.
On Black Friday we’ll be welcoming adopters to visit our adoption center from noon to 7 p.m. Each pet we send home will make room for the next transfer, and our team will be on the road again Monday morning seeking the animals who most need the Richmond SPCA to be there for them.
Tabitha joined the Richmond SPCA in 2005 as an admissions counselor soon after moving to Richmond from her home state of Mississippi, and has been our director of communications since 2010. She is a member of the Public Relations Society of America and PRSA Richmond.
Tabitha and her husband live in Richmond with five Richmond SPCA alumni – two cats and three dogs.
