Animal Shelter

CONTACT INFORMATION: Open Tuesdays and Wednesdays 12-5pm, Thursdays and Fridays 12-7pm, Saturdays and Sundays 11am-5pm, closed Mondays.
4500 West Ox Road
Fairfax, VA 22030
Reasa Currier
Director

Department Resources

Steps to Adopting an Animal

No appointment necessary to come visit available pets!

We're open Tuesdays and Wednesdays 12-5pm, Thursdays and Fridays 12-7pm, Saturdays and Sundays 11am-5pm, and closed Mondays.

 

Here's how the adoption process works:

  1. View our available pets in person at the Shelter during open hours, and meet them with the help of a shelter staff person or volunteer. You may also view available pets online in advance, on our 24PetConnect page.
  2. If you meet a shelter pet you'd like to adopt, complete an adoption questionnaire (available at the Shelter), and one of our Adoption Counselors will go over that pet's medical and behavior history and information.
  3. Make it official! We do same-day adoptions which means pets go home the same day they're adopted!

Check out our available pets page for an up-to-the-minute list of all our available pets, including dogs, puppies, cats, kittens, rabbits, guinea pigs, mice, and more!

View Our Available Pets

Important Notes: 

  1. If you are interested in adopting a dog, and you have a dog at home already, please bring your dog in to meet with their potential new sibling. We can also facilitate rabbit-to-rabbit and guinea pig-to-guinea pig visits. We are not able to introduce available shelter cats to other pets.
  2. Please note that some pets will be available on a best fit basis for specific behavioral or species husbandry considerations. 
  3. Pets in foster will be noted as such next to their name, and in their bio. To meet a pet in foster, please send us an email first so we can make sure that pet is back in the Shelter to meet you.
  4. After you visit with your prospective new pet, the adoption paperwork process generally takes 30 minutes to an hour. Staff will begin the last adoptions of the day 30 minutes prior to closing, and will make an announcement each day when that time arrives. You may still visit the shelter and adoptable pets up to closing time, we will just not be able to begin the adoption process that day.

 

Adoption Requirements: 

  1. Must be at least 18 years old, with a photo ID.
  2. Provide rabies vaccination certificate(s) for any current dogs and/or cats in the home.
  3. Have dog licenses for any current dogs (if you live in Fairfax County).
  4. Show proof that you’re allowed to have the pet where you live (proof of home ownership, OR lease with pet addendum, OR letter/email from landlord/homeowner).
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