HARRISONBURG, VA (RHSPCA) — In just one day, seven animals entered the Rockingham-Harrisonburg SPCA: four stray dogs, two stray cats, and one owner-surrendered pet. Though these may seem like simple numbers, each represents a unique story and a new beginning.

“Each animal’s journey to the RHSPCA is unique. Every surrender comes with a difficult backstory—loss of a job, housing challenges, and other personal hardships,” shared Summer Dubois, Director of Operations. “We feel the weight of each story, knowing that it affects the animal, the owner, and our team.”

To meet the growing demand and help more animals find permanent homes, the RHSPCA is launching an ambitious “Home for the Holidays: 400 Pets in 40 Days” initiative. With the goal of placing 400 animals in loving homes by the year’s end, this campaign aims to give as many pets as possible a fresh start before the holidays.

“Whenever we reach out, the community of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County steps up,” said Huck Nawaz, Executive Director. “We saw a greater number of animals this year with more advanced medical and behavioral needs and it took much longer to rehabilitate and find homes for them. If we can place 400 animals in homes, we will finish the year with a manageable number in care, ensuring every pet receives the highest level of care.”

Despite record-breaking adoptions in September and October, the RHSPCA typically experiences a seasonal decline in placements during November and December. The goal of “Home for the Holidays: 400 Pets in 40 Days” is to reverse this trend and help ensure no animal has to wait longer than necessary for a home.

To support this campaign, the RHSPCA is offering various adoption promotions, including:
● A Buy-One-Get-One (BOGO) promotion on kittens November 18-30.
● Fee-waived adoptions for Veterans, Active-Duty Military, and First Responders through November 30.
● Fee-waived barn cat adoption fees through Thanksgiving.
● Fee-waived senior pet adoptions through November 30.
● Bissell Foundation-sponsored fee-waived adoptions from December 1-15, 2024.
● Cat adoptions in partnership with PetSmart.

“While our focus remains on maintaining high adoption standards, we want to make this process accessible for the community,” said Aaron Cleveland, Director of Engagement. “We’re committed to finding secure and loving homes for each animal, and we’re confident that with community support, we can reach our goal.”

For more information on adopting, fostering, or supporting our campaign, please visit www.rhspca.org.