ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. – A local animal shelter needs your help as it’s now at capacity.
The Regional Center for Animal Care and Protection, RCACP, has reached capacity for stray dogs and cats of all sizes.
Over the last two weeks, the center reported that it has received a high number of dogs and cats. Due to being an open-intake shelter, staff cannot turn away any stray animal.
Being at full capacity puts the center’s owner-released animals that are in the vetting process at risk because there must be room for stray animals.
The center is the tax-funded intake shelter serving the city of Roanoke, as well as Roanoke and Botetourt counties.
Dogs and cats brought into the shelter as strays must be kept by law for the required stray hold time, which is either 5 or 10 days, depending on the information that is brought in with the animal.
With July 4 approaching, historically, each year, the center takes in a large number of dogs frightened by fireworks and the center wants to ensure there’s space ahead of that date.
Breakdown of Dogs at RCACP
| Total Dogs | 88 |
|---|---|
| Available Dogs | 19 |
| Dogs on Stray Hold | 15 |
| Dogs in Foster | 14 |
| Dogs off Stray Hold or Owner Relinquished Waiting on Vetting | 40 |
Breakdown of Cats at RCACP
| Total Cats | 221 |
|---|---|
| Available Cats | 7 |
| Cats on Stray Hold | 26 |
| Cats in Foster | 77 |
| Cats Awaiting Transport | 23 |
| Cats off Stray Hold or Owner Relinquished Waiting on Vetting | 88 |
The facility’s exotics room is also full as three chickens, four parakeets, two rabbits and one guinea pig need adopters.
If you are missing your dog companion, please make an appointment to see if your dog is at the shelter located at 1510 Baldwin Avenue, NE, Roanoke.
You can also click here to see which animals are currently at the center.