Volunteer

From cat cuddling to dog walking, volunteering at RACC provides a rewarding experience for all! The time that volunteers share and the enrichment they offer help our pets remain happy, social, healthy, and active. Volunteering greatly reduces stress and depression that animals can experience because of cage confinement. Many volunteers say they enjoy similar benefits by giving their hearts (and time) to the animals in our care. Volunteers receive orientation and training specific to their areas of interest.

Volunteers are needed to assist with the following activities:

• Laundry

• Dishwashing

• Dog walking, exercise, socialization, and enrichment

• Cat socialization, play time, and enrichment

• Pet grooming and bathing

• Adoption events

• Filing paperwork

Becoming a Volunteer

The first step to becoming a volunteer is attending one of our volunteer orientations, which are open to the public and hosted every Saturday at 11:00AM. You will receive a tour of the shelter and learn about our different opportunities and expectations. Please note: RACC does not accept volunteers required to complete hours for court-ordered service, community service, or school requirements.

The last step in the volunteer onboarding process is the background screening, which is required by the City for all volunteers over the age of 18 years. An email confirmation with approval to begin volunteering will be sent once the background check results have been received. However, the minimum age to volunteer is 16 years. For those under 18 years, please wait for an email confirmation to start volunteering. Approved volunteers are strongly encouraged to get involved in our dog and cat enrichment programs, as well as our dog running program known as RACC Runners!

Foster

RACC's foster program is vital to our life-saving mission. We are always in need of foster homes for our underage kittens and puppies, pregnant/nursing moms and litters, hospice animals, and animals with medical and/or behavioral needs. While our available animals are generally adopted faster in the shelter environment, we do occasionally need fosters for healthy dogs and cats. RACC provides all supplies for foster homes, including medical care and food. RACC fosters are required to transport animals for medical care and routine vaccinations, as well as maintain open communication with shelter staff.

Becoming a Foster

If you are interested in becoming a RACC foster, please email lydia.worden@rva.gov.

Casual Friday Foster Program

Did you know that local businesses can foster an available RACC dog or cat for the day? This is a great way to give shelter pets a break from the kennels and some extra attention while promoting them (and your business) on social media to help get them adopted. It's a win-win for everyone! If your place of business is interested in participating in our Casual Friday Foster program, please email haley.childress2@rva.gov.

Virtual Foster Program

This initiative offers a unique way for everyone to get involved, even for those who can't physically foster animals. Through this program, you can promote our adoptable pets on your social media platforms, reaching your friends, family, and followers to connect them with loving families. Local participants are invited to visit their virtual foster pets at our facility during designated visiting hours. Additionally, you can take these pets on outings in RVA by scheduling with our Virtual Foster Coordinator. For those outside RVA, the state, or even the country, you'll receive delightful content such as pictures and videos of your virtual foster pet, perfect for sharing with your network. To join our Virtual Foster program, please email haley.childress2@rva.gov.

Thanksgiving Foster Program

No one should spend Thanksgiving alone. Invite one of our shelter dogs or cats to Thanksgiving dinner and have the best holiday ever! In order to participate, fosters will need to be home for the holiday and not traveling. The timeframe is typically the week of and after the Thanksgiving holiday. Our greatest need is always for fosters without other pets at home, and fosters who plan on adopting their foster dog or cat get first pick. If you're interested in becoming a RACC Thanksgiving Foster, please email christie.peters@rva.gov.