On June 21, the Regional Center for Animal Care and Protection issued a plea for owners, fosters, and adopters to visit the shelter as they were completely full for stray and available dogs and cats. The shelter is an “open intake” facility and owner releases and stray impounds were arriving faster than the stray animals were being reclaimed or available pets were being adopted.
This scenario leaves them with no other option than euthanasia if they can’t find a rescue placement for the animals, and the agency was very concerned.
Fortunately, the residents of member agencies, as well as rescue partners, answered the call on Saturday, June 23 with such amazing results that the center’s volunteers and staff were overwhelmed by the response. The parking lot was full by 11:30 am and stayed full all day. There was a line from the lobby that snaked around the building for most of the day as well. The center had to stop new adoptions at 2 pm because the dogs were exhausted from all the meet and greets.
Below are the totals of animals that left the building in those three days either reunited with their owners or into a loving home.
Animals Redeemed by Owners:12
Animals Placed in Foster Homes: 7
Animals Pulled by Rescues: 42
Animals Adopted into Forever Homes: 33
Total Animals: 94
The center expressed their appreciation to the Friends of RCACP group for providing ice cream and the musical entertainment of “Healing Rain,” for our patrons. They also provided doggy ice cream treats for the pups throughout the day. This event would not have been possible without their support in assisting staff with meet and greets and anything else that was needed.
RCACP Interim Executive Director Mike Warner extended “a huge thank you to all of the lovely people who stood and waited in one long, hot line after another to complete the adoption process. Everyone kept a great attitude and it was a wonderful sight to see. The Roanoke Valley is a great place to live, work, and play and we are grateful for the support and love shown to our Valley’s homeless animals this weekend.”
