FAQS

Is the SPCA affiliated with any national animal welfare organizations? Like most local animal shelters, the SPCA receives no ongoing funding from the ASPCA or the Humane Society of the United States. If you want to help the animals in your community, give to your local community shelter or animal welfare group.

What is the SPCA’s policy when accepting pets? Our doors are wide open to dogs and cats from Albemarle County and the City of Charlottesville, regardless of age or health.

The SPCA is a no-kill organization. What does that mean? We are committed to saving all healthy and treatable animals in our care, regardless of how long they’ve been with us. We are a progressive, solution-oriented animal welfare organization dedicated to saving lives.

What is the SPCA’s annual live release rate? We collect and report our shelter statistics using a nationally recognized data matrix called the Asilomar Accords. We track and compare our progress through our annual live release rate, which is the data of live outcomes for all cats and dogs who leave our care. In 2020, we were proud to achieve a live release rate of 97%.

Is the SPCA a pound? The SPCA is defined by the Code of Virginia as a “private animal shelter” whose purpose is finding permanent adoptive homes for animals. We also serve as the contracted public animal shelter for Albemarle County and the City of Charlottesville to impound or shelter seized, stray, abandoned, unwanted or surrendered animals. We are under contract and receive funding to serve as the city and county pound.