HARRISONBURG, VA (Rocktown Now) — The Rockingham Harrisonburg SPCA (RHSPCA) is moving forward with plans to develop a new on-campus Veterinary Care Center, a project aimed at strengthening animal welfare services across the Shenandoah Valley.

The RHSPCA Board of Directors approved the clinic in 2023 as part of the organization’s strategic plan, marking a multi-year investment designed to expand capacity, improve efficiency, and provide sustainable veterinary care for animals and the community.

“The board has a responsibility to ensure the organization can meet today’s challenges while planning for tomorrow,” said Erin Overstreet, board president of the RHSPCA. “This clinic is an investment in animals, people, and the future of the Rockingham-Harrisonburg community. It allows us to help more animals, more efficiently, while staying true to our mission of creating a community free of pet homelessness and animal suffering.”

Construction on the Veterinary Care Center is expected to begin in February, with the clinic anticipated to become operational later this spring. Once open, the facility will provide accessible, on-site veterinary services that support animals in the care of the RHSPCA, community cats, and community-owned pets considered at high risk of entering the shelter.

According to the organization, the clinic will help maximize timely treatment for animals, manage future intake responsibly, and support efforts to keep pets healthy and in their homes.

“Our community has helped us make remarkable progress over the last several years,” said Huck Nawaz, executive director of the RHSPCA. “The Veterinary Care Center builds on that momentum. It’s a long-term investment in stability, efficiency, and prevention so we can provide timely, cost-effective care and address the upstream causes of pet homelessness.”

The project includes the reconfiguration of a former Broadway High School modular classroom and will house a dedicated staff veterinarian. RHSPCA officials say the center will allow animals to receive lifesaving care more quickly, help pets become adoptable sooner, and increase the organization’s overall capacity to serve the Harrisonburg and Rockingham County area.

The Veterinary Care Center is also expected to play a key role in managing community cat populations by expanding spay and neuter services and supporting Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) efforts. Officials say preventing unplanned litters can reduce shelter intake, improve outcomes for outdoor cats, and help stabilize the local animal welfare system.

RHSPCA leaders describe the center as a commitment to prevention, timely care, and long-term solutions, made possible through community support and partnerships with the broader veterinary community.