| |
|
Fairfax County Animal Shelter
News and Information
|
|
You're Invited to the Grand Opening of Fairfax County Animal Shelter Lorton Campus
All are invited to help us celebrate the grand opening of the Fairfax County Animal Shelter Lorton Campus and the Lorton District Police Station at a community event on Saturday, Oct. 28.
The ceremony begins at 10 a.m., and the community celebration is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., rain or shine. Join us at 8855 and 8875 Lorton Road in Lorton. In case of inclement weather, the community celebration may be modified, and the ceremony will be moved indoors and attendees will be limited on a first-come, first-served basis due to space. Learn more about the grand opening on our website.
This state-of-the-art facility will significantly expand the geographic reach and impact of our work for the residents of Fairfax County. The Lorton Campus will not only allow us to create more families through adoption, it will also provide a hub for essential services including behavior and training support, veterinary medical care, pet supplies and other critical services that help keep pets with their families.
The Lorton Campus will be open for dog, cat and small animal adoptions beginning Thursday, Oct. 26 from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. Our hours of operation and our adoption process will be the same as those of our Michael R Frey campus located at 4500 West Ox Road in Fairfax. All shelter programs and services, including our pet food pantry, pet haven program and vaccine and microchip clinics, will also be operational at the Lorton Campus starting on Oct. 26.
|
|
How You Can Help Lost Pets Find Their Families
Our shelter has seen an increase in stray animals coming through our doors over the past several months, and we are calling on our incredible community of animal advocates to help us reunite more pets with their families. Here is what you can do to help if you find a stray animal:
-
Contact the Area Animal Shelter(s): Contact the animal shelter in the county in which you found the animal to file a found report. If you found the pet in Fairfax County, call Fairfax County Animal Shelter at 703-830-1100. If you found a pet near a neighboring county, file an additional found report with the animal shelter located in that county.
-
Check for a Microchip: Animal shelters as well as veterinary offices have the ability to scan the pet for a microchip, and it only takes a few seconds.
-
Inquire with Nearby Locations: Visit nearby businesses and houses to ask if anyone knows the pet. You may not recognize the pet, but your neighbors might!
-
Utilize Online Resources: Post a photo and description of the pet to websites like Pawboost, Nextdoor, Facebook groups, Lost My Doggie and Lost My Kitty.
-
Create Found Posters: Craft found posters featuring a photo of the pet, along with details like breed, age, size, color, the location where they were found and your contact information. Display these posters within a one to two-mile radius of where you found the pet, placing them at eye level in stores and offices and at waist level on telephone poles and street signs for visibility to people in cars.
-
Temporarily House the Pet: If possible, provide temporary and safe housing for the pet while waiting for the guardian to come forward. Keeping the pet out of a shelter environment not only reduces their stress but also increases the chances of reuniting them with their family, as lost pets are more easily found the closer they are to their home.
The Importance of Microchips
Microchips are the most effective tool in reuniting lost pets with their guardians. Ensuring your pet is microchipped and the contact information is up-to-date helps lost pets find their homes faster.
Mocca the Chocolate Lab is just one of the countless pets our team has reunited with their families thanks to a microchip! After a contractor accidentally left her family’s backyard gate open, she was brought to our shelter and scanned for a microchip. Our customer care team contacted her family using the phone number registered to her microchip, and Mocca was back home in just a few short hours.
Fairfax County Animal Shelter offers Fairfax County residents the opportunity to microchip their cat and dog companions without the additional cost of a vet appointment. Learn more about upcoming clinic dates.
|
Celebrating One Year Since the Historic Rescue of the Envigo Beagles
It’s been a year since we welcomed 26 beagles as part of the historic rescue of 4,000 beagles from a mass breeding facility owned by Envigo.
When we first met many of the beagles, they were extremely shy and unsure of how to walk on a leash. They had to be carried everywhere and didn’t know that they were allowed to lay on the beds in their kennels. Thanks to the hard and continuous work of our staff, fosters and volunteers, they slowly began to reveal their individual personalities. Day by day, they grew more confident in walking on a leash, and we started to see them gently wag their tails. Eventually, they showed that infamous beagle bark!
We are incredibly grateful to The Humane Society of the United States for coordinating this massive rescue. It’s wonderful to see these pups thriving in their adoptive homes, surrounded by nothing but love.
|
October Events
 |
|
Reading Tails
Reading Tails is back! Kids can pick their favorite story and read to a dog, cat, rabbit, guinea pig or even a parakeet! Registration is required. For more information and available dates, visit our website.
|
 |
|
Vaccine and Microchip Clinic
Fairfax County Animal Shelter offers Fairfax County residents the opportunity to have their pet vaccinated or microchipped without the cost of a veterinary exam. Learn more about vaccine and microchip clinics on our website.
Sunday, October 22, 9 a.m. - 11 a.m.
4500 West Ox Road, Fairfax, VA 22030
Friday, November 3, 9 a.m. - 11 a.m.
8875 Lorton Road, Lorton, VA 22079
Sunday, December 3, 9 a.m. - 11 a.m.
4500 West Ox Road, Fairfax, VA 22030
Thursday, December 14, 9 a.m. - 11 a.m.
8875 Lorton Road, Lorton, VA 22079
|
Find Us at These Community Events
McLean Petfest at McLean Central Park
Sunday, October 15, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
1468 Dolley Madison Boulevard
McLean, VA 22101
K9 Krawl Public Safety Headquarters
Sunday, October 21, 9 a.m. - 11 a.m.
12099 Government Center Parkway
Fairfax, VA 22035
|
|
October is Adopt a Senior Pet Month
From gray-muzzles to long naps on the coach - senior pets prove that love is ageless. Visit our shelter to meet our senior pets who are ready to spend their golden years with you!
|
|
|
|
|
