This holiday season, the Roanoke Valley SPCA is asking the community to help make sure that no shelter pet is left behind. Through the shelter’s annual Home for the Holidays foster program, individuals and families are encouraged to open their homes and hearts to pets in need. This year, however, the shelter is facing an unprecedented challenge, making participation more critical than ever.
Between December 20th and likely through the middle of February, the Roanoke Valley SPCA will temporarily close its shelter as major renovations to replace the aging roof and HVAC system occur. During this time, there will be power outages and no heat in the facility, meaning the shelter must find temporary homes for every single dog and cat in their care.
“This program has always been about giving pets the joy of being with a family for the holidays, but this year, it’s about so much more,” said Denise Hayes, CEO of the Roanoke Valley SPCA. “With the shelter closed, we absolutely cannot house animals in the building during construction with all of the noise and frequent loss of power and heat. We’re relying on our community now more than ever to provide safe, warm, and loving homes for our pets during this time. No one likes to be alone during the holidays—especially not the dogs and cats in our care. Whether you’ve fostered before or are new to the experience, we invite you to join us in making this holiday season unforgettable for these deserving animals.”
Fostering a pet is a rewarding experience that brings joy to both the animal and their temporary family. And the best part? The Roanoke Valley SPCA provides everything needed to care for a foster pet, including food, a leash and collar, a litter box, toys, treats, and more. All the foster needs to provide is love and a cozy space in their home. Anyone interested in fostering a pet for the holidays should fill out an application at: https://rvspca.org/foster/become-a-foster/
About the Roanoke Valley SPCA
Since 1916, the Roanoke Valley SPCA has provided a safe environment for lost, abandoned, and homeless animals. Over 25,000 cats and dogs have been adopted since opening our new
The Roanoke Valley SPCA is a community resource that provides pet adoption, retention, and education services in Virginia’s Blue Ridge.
Annually we provide food, shelter, rehabilitation, and medical treatment for over 1,500 homeless animals, ensuring they are altered, microchipped, and healthy prior to adoption. Our Pets Eat Too program feeds the pets of homebound seniors receiving Meals on Wheels as well as hospice patients, local food pantry participants, and families struggling to feed their pets, distributing over 80,000 pounds of food annually. Transportation services provide access to veterinary care and spay/neuter services throughout our community and we have expanded our offerings to include transitional fostering of pets whose owners are fleeing domestic violence, may be experiencing temporary homelessness due to fire, or need to spend time in a rehabilitation center following surgery.
1340 Baldwin Avenue, Roanoke VA 24012 P: (540) 339-9247 | F: (540) 342-6730 www.rvspca.org
