Where do I adopt a dog in Richmond? Are you getting my virtual high-five?! I wish I had adopted my dogs but I was uneducated on just how great it can be to rescue a dog. It breaks my heart to see so many dogs sitting and waiting for adoption day after day. But where do you start? It can be overwhelming when you start to look at all the adoption shelters when looking for the perfect addition to your family. You should start by looked at these places!
Related: Finding Dogs for Adoption in Your Area
Where to Adopt a Dog in Richmond
Richmond SPCA: Since the Richmond SPCA became a no-kill facility in 2002, they have helped to save the lives of 42,038 animals! That is about 3,000 pets a year whose lives were saved. You can scroll through the dogs available for adoption on their website that I so conveniently added for you. However, if no one catches your eye or tugs at your heartstrings, you can always use their Match Finder Tool to enter your request. When your request can be filled, you will get an automated email letting your know! Personally, I need to go and see the dogs in person. My first dog was chosen because out of the litter, she was the only one who stayed with me once the excitement of me being there had worn off. The Richmond SPCA has lots of info on their website, so check it out. Maybe you’ll take home this sweetie Cher, who has a mad love for tennis balls!
Lab Rescue of the LRCP: As you can tell by the name, these guys only deal in Labs. So if you are in search of rescuing a pit, this is not the place you want to stop at. The Lab Rescue is careful to be sure that the adopted dog is going to a forever home. So unlike some other places, do not expect to show up and start the adoption process and bring home your rescued Lab that same day, it can take a couple of weeks. That’s ok! Unless you are like me and have a problem with immediate gratification, it is best to be absolutely sure you have the right fit. The idea is a forever home. You can read about the entire adoption process on their website.
BARK: A cute name that stands for Bandit’s Adoption and Rescue of K-9s. Before you take a BARK dog home, you can be assured they have been spayed or neutered, all shots up to date for their age, heartworm prevention given and will be microchipped. Many of the dogs that end up at BARK are there because their owners have passed away or they had to move and for whatever reason, were unable to take their pet with them. You also have the option of fostering a dog. It might be a good idea to see if having a dog in your life is something that will work in reality, rather than what you think it will be like. You can learn more about their adoption process on their site.
Before you go anywhere, you want to be sure they are a no-kill shelter. That means that there is no time limit to how long they will hold a dog. They do whatever they can to save his life. Many of these shelters use foster homes. Space is often an issue, which is sometimes a reason for euthanization (more like an excuse, but I digress). A no-kill shelter shows they really do care about the animal and his well being, he is not just a number in a kennel.
Did you adopt a dog in Richmond? Share with us your favorite shelters and rescues in the comment section below!
