Celebrating 20 Years of Friends of the Fairfax County Animal Shelter
 Since 2005, Friends of the Fairfax County Animal Shelter (Friends) has served as the shelter’s nonprofit fundraising partner, helping ensure that every pet has the best chance to find, and stay in, a loving home.
Over the past 20 years, Friends has contributed more than $2.5 million to support shelter programs and services. In fact, Friends provides between 25–30% above the shelter’s operating budget each year. Their support funds essential medical care, dental treatments, parasite prevention and spay/neuter surgeries for community cats. Friends also supplies collars, tags and leashes for newly adopted pets and invests in capital improvements that enhance the shelter environment for animals and staff alike.
In 2024 alone, Friends provided more than $266,000 in funding to the shelter. This included:
- 46 urgent medical treatments
- 47 dental procedures
- 4,145 parasite preventatives for dogs, cats and rabbits
- 622 spay/neuter and vaccination services for community cats
- 2,579 collars, tags and leashes for adopted pets
Thanks to this partnership, pets of all kinds, from kittens needing surgery to senior dogs requiring dental care, have a better chance to thrive and find loving homes.
In recognition of these 20 years of life-changing impact, Friends was recently honored with a proclamation from the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors!
Q&A with Evelyn Grieve, Founder and President of Friends of the Fairfax County Animal Shelter
What inspired you to start Friends of the Fairfax County Animal Shelter back in 2005?
Karen Diviney, former Shelter Director, and I worked together at the County of Fairfax Department of Human Resources. We met in 1990 and became friends while working on the installation of a new HR system. We were passionate about animals and we were thrilled when she became the Animal Shelter Director.
Unfortunately, the shelter was in dismal shape, and she learned that she only had $10,000 in discretionary funds to be used to help pets who needed urgent medical care and for operational expenses such as training and staff development. At the time, the live release rate was 46%.
She contacted me to get together to discuss the shelter. We met on a Sunday afternoon along with her Outreach Manager, and she discussed the idea of starting a fundraising group to improve the quality of life for pets who needed medical attention. The goal was to ensure that all treatable, healthy pets would get the care they needed to find their forever home.
I asked how I could help, and she asked if I would be the President. I indicated that I had never done anything like that in the past, but “sure,” I would do it—anything to help our little friends! The rest is history, as they say.
We had our first fundraiser at my community clubhouse, and we raised $10,000! Wow, we had already doubled the available funds to help shelter pets, and we were on our way.
Looking back over 20 years, what are you most proud of?
Now that is a tough one. I will start off by saying, “Never forget your mission.” We were started to take care of the pets who had no voice and wound up in the shelter. The mission could never have been accomplished without all of our generous donors.
I would have to add that we started with a simple mission—to provide medical care for all the pets that were surrendered to the shelter to help them become healthy, happy and adoptable. Over the years, that single mission grew from just medical to include dental, spay/neuter/vaccinations for community cats, parasite prevention for cats, dogs and rabbits and a collar, tag and leash for adopted cats and dogs.
Along the way, we started and funded several pilot programs that were added to the County operating budget. This year, we added spay/neuter for rabbits.
I will also add that the live release rate for shelter pets is now over 90%. This was achieved with the help of the excellent Friends and shelter team, the veterinary staff and the funding we are able to provide from our thoughtful donors for the care of shelter pets.
What is one story you always share when people ask about the work Friends does?
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Now that really is a tough one. There are so many, but this one is always so touching. One Friday evening, a resident brought in a 9-month-old Cairn Terrier who had swallowed a rock. She wanted to surrender him to be euthanized as she couldn’t afford the surgery or the subsequent care he was going to need.
Karen, the Shelter Director, happened to be at the shelter that night and chatted with the woman about Friends of the Fairfax County Animal Shelter, and that she thought we would be able to pay for his surgery and the shelter could get him rehomed. We all agreed to the request, and he went into surgery that evening.
A few days later, Karen called me and mentioned that the little dog we saved needed a foster home and asked if I would take care of him. I went to meet him; they told me to try to keep him calm. That wasn’t going to happen—he was bouncing all over the room! I thought, dang, my husband is going to wonder what the heck we got ourselves into.
Well, of course, we fell in love with him. We became foster failures and named him Eddie, after Crazy Eddie’s—a store now long out of business in NY—because he was a lovable, wild terrier, and he became my wingman and our mascot.
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Happy Tails Made Possible by Friends
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Zambur
Zambur settled beautifully into his new home, with help from a Friends senior pet adoption initiative that provided a $500 veterinary care credit to Pender Veterinary Centre. His adopter shared that he enjoys relaxed mornings in the backyard, leisurely walks and the company of his new feline friend, Precious, who welcomed him right away. He also has a habit of napping with his head hanging off the futon when especially tired!
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Chispa
Chispa came into our care with a severely broken leg, and it was determined that an amputation was needed to give her the best chance at a happy and comfortable life. Thanks to funding from Friends, she received surgery and made a full recovery, quickly winning over everyone she met along the way. Today, Chispa is thriving in a home with another bunny, a dog and two young sisters who adore her.
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Chowda
Thanks to Friends, Chowda received lifesaving care and found his perfect match! He arrived at our shelter with a cherry eye and brachycephalic airway issues that severely affected his breathing. Along the way, he battled multiple infections and required extensive hospitalization. Friends funded $4,200 in treatments to support his recovery. Once he was feeling better, his foster, Dr. Jason Flanary of Pender Veterinary Centre, could not part with him. Chowda, now known as Doug, is a beloved member of Dr. Flanary’s family!
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Purrer Cottontail
Purrer Cottontail is living up to his name! After fostering him for a month, his family could not resist making him a permanent part of their lives. Thanks to support from Friends, he received much-needed dental care before settling in. His adopter says he loves purring loudly, showing his belly and napping in the closet. "He’s an amazing addition to our little family," they shared.
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Scrappy (now known as Scooby)
Scrappy arrived at the shelter severely underweight and in need of significant medical care. With support from Friends, he was transferred to Middleburg Humane Foundation, where he had more space to continue healing. From there, he was welcomed into a foster home, where he quickly bonded with a miniature donkey named Duncan. His fosters officially adopted him and named him Scooby. Today he and Duncan are inseparable, enjoying their golden years together.
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Upcoming Events
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Vaccine and Microchip Clinics
The Fairfax County Animal Shelter offers monthly low-cost vaccination and microchipping services for Fairfax County residents. Clinics are walk-up and there is no pre-registration or appointment required.
Upcoming Clinics:
Friday, June 27, 9 to 11 a.m. at Fairfax County Animal Shelter - Lorton Campus 8875 Lorton Road, Lorton, VA 22079
Wednesday, July 9, 9 to 11 a.m. at Fairfax County Fire Station 40 4621 Legato Road, Fairfax, VA 22030
Friday, July 25, 9 to 11 a.m. at Fairfax County Animal Shelter - Lorton Campus 8875 Lorton Road, Lorton, VA 22079
Learn More
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Summer Lunch and Learn Series: Understanding Your Cat's Behavior (Virtual)
Join Reasa Currier, Director of the Fairfax County Department of Animal Services, and Lisa Stemcosky, Certified Cat Behavior Consultant and owner of PawLitically Correct, for a fun and free virtual discussion all about feline behavior. You will gain insights into how cats think, why they behave the way they do and how to better understand your own cat.
Tuesday, June 24, Noon to 1 p.m.
Register
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