Pet Visitation Programs - Richmond SPCA

Our pet visitation programs bring the joy of animal companionship to folks in need all over RVA.

Paws for Health®: Volunteers and their therapy pets visit nursing homes, retirement communities, workplaces, and more.

Paws in the Community: Volunteers bring Richmond SPCA pets who are available for adoption to community events and workplaces. This includes Paws for Paramedics, where Richmond SPCA pets visit paramedics at Richmond Ambulance Authority, offering moments of comfort and connection to first responders.

PAWS FOR HEALTH

Since 1999, our Paws for Health volunteers and their pets have been bringing comfort and companionship to local hospitals, nursing homes, and retirement communities in the Richmond area. Although the pandemic in 2020 forced us to pause this beloved program, it relaunched in 2025 with plans to expand the sites we visit to include workplaces, schools, and other community spaces.

PAWS IN THE COMMUNITY

Our Paws in the Community volunteers receive specialized training to take shelter pets on visits to workplaces, schools, and other community spaces. These outings offer the public the joy of animal companionship, give shelter pets a break from shelter life, and raise awareness about pets in need.

Volunteers must be 16 or older to participate in this program and must be a member of our general volunteer program. Learn more about our volunteer program, its requirements, and how to join.

REQUEST A VISIT FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION

Thanks so much for your interest in our pet visitation programs! We’d love to hear more about your interest in the form below. To accommodate your request, we kindly ask for a minimum of two weeks’ notice for the desired date(s) of visitation.

Pet Visitation Request Form

URL

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Your name:(Required)

First: Last:

Your email:(Required)

Your phone number:

Type of organization you represent:(Required)

Other type of organization:(Required)

Organization or facility name:(Required)

Organization website:

Please describe the reason you are requesting a visit from a pet:(Required)

Please describe what types of pets you would like to visit:(Required)

Organizations can request therapy dogs (owned pets), shelter cats, or shelter dogs.

What date(s) and time(s) would you like to have a visit from our pet(s)?(Required)

We kindly ask for a minimum of two weeks lead time for your desired date(s).

Please list the address of the facility and any information regarding parking and check ins.(Required)

How do you envision the ideal setup and flow of the event that our pet(s) would be attending? Please also list any specific requirements or considerations we should be aware of for your organization or group.(Required)

If a member of your group has any allergies such as peanut butter or animal-related fears, please include that in this section.