January ended with a weather event that many in Richmond have never seen before. Temperatures plunged into single digits and an ice storm closed bridges for days, shut down schools for over a week, and made the everyday care for the animals at our shelter that much harder. As the forecast worsened, our team moved quickly activating foster networks, coordinating emergency sleepover placements, and preparing the shelter for limited staffing.
Our goal: move as many dogs as possible into warm, loving homes before the storm.
More than 40 dogs spent several days in homes instead of kennels. That’s over half of the dogs in our care. Not only did these compassionate humans lighten the workload for our staff, but they offered these dogs a break from the shelter and comfort. Even on sunny days, research shows that time out of the shelter significantly reduces stress and can minimize potential behavior and medical issues that arise.
In addition to the dogs, 22 cats went on sleepovers or into foster care for the duration of the storm. Some of these pets, including both dogs and cats, never returned to the shelter. Doug, Zero, Figgy Fig, Gizmo, Renesmee, Flamingo, and Chutney were adopted following the storm and are happily residing with their new families.
Chutney is an incredible example of an act of compassion that turned into a loving, permanent home. Following Chutney’s storm sleepover, her foster decided to give this 12-year-old pup with health challenges a permanent place to call home. Prior to the storm, Chutney had been waiting nearly 6 months for her new family to find her.
Not only does this show true compassion in a moment of need, but it serves as a great reminder that the community cares about these pets and is willing to help carry the weight of pet homelessness.
A few of the dogs placed into foster care during the winter storm.
