On the April edition of the "Connect with County Leaders" podcast, Fairfax County Executive Bryan Hill connected with Reasa Currier, director of the Fairfax County Department of Animal Sheltering. The conversation provides a behind-the-scenes look at the county’s efforts to care for animals in need while promoting responsible pet ownership.
Currier's passion for animals dates to her childhood, when she spent time in her grandfather's veterinary clinic, surrounded by an array of furry, feathered and scaled companions – including a chihuahua that would bite and a three-legged, one-eyed cat that he didn’t have the heart to euthanize – impressed upon her the vital importance of compassion and care for all creatures.
“It definitely imprinted on me just how important animals are and also our duty of compassion and care to the animals that we come in contact with,” she shared.
As the director of the county's open-access shelter, Currier oversees a team that takes in around 4,500 animals annually ranging from dogs and cats to more exotic species like hedgehogs and emus, with a live release rate of over 90%.
While the work can be challenging, especially when witnessing families forced to surrender beloved pets due to economic hardships, Currier finds immense joy in facilitating adoptions, particularly those involving children.
“I think my favorite thing about my job, and for most of our staff, is just seeing adoptions. It’s really hard to have a bad day if you go into our adoption floor, and especially seeing children for the first time adopt a pet is amazing,” Currier said.
The COVID-19 pandemic brought about unique challenges for animal shelters nationwide, with Fairfax County experiencing a 20% increase in intake compared to the previous year. Many of the animals arriving at the shelter exhibit behavioral issues or medical concerns stemming from a lack of socialization and veterinary care during the pandemic.
Undeterred, Currier and her team have embraced innovative approaches to promote adoptions and raise awareness about the shelter's services.
One recent initiative involved dividing the shelter’s large dogs into two teams with Police Chief Davis and Fire Chief Butler leading a friendly competition to see whose team could facilitate the most adoptions. The result was a tie with 20 dogs finding forever homes in just one week.
Currier also highlighted the recent opening of the shelter’s second location in Lorton, which has been met with overwhelming enthusiasm from the local community.
“We’ve just had that level of excitement from the community,” she said, noting the influx of new volunteers and visitors eager to support the shelter’s mission.
Lorton is already hosting scouting groups and kicking off new programs.
“We have so many scouts coming in and wanting to do scout projects and to support the animals. And we just recently launched our reading tales program at Lorton, where children get to come in and read a bedtime story to one of our pets."
CONNECT WITH THE COUNTY LEADERS PODCAST
The “Connect with County Leaders” podcast is a monthly opportunity to meet and connect with Fairfax County leaders, to learn about the latest county news and information, and hear more on specific programs and services in Fairfax County. Listen or watch past episodes of “Connect with County Leaders” on SoundCloud, on YouTube and on Channel 16’s podcast on demand page.
For other Fairfax County podcasts, visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/podcasts, and for additional audio content, tune in to Fairfax County Government Radio at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/radio.
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