At Friends of Russell County Animals, we understand that life can present challenges that make keeping a pet feel overwhelming. Before surrendering your pet to a shelter, please consider the following compassionate alternatives:

Option 1: Giving Up a Pet to the Animal Shelter (Last Resort)

Animal shelters in our region—such as the Russell County Animal Shelter (https://www.russellcountyva.us/161/Animal-Shelter) and Tazewell County Animal Shelter (https://tazewell.dogrescues.org)-are sadly overcrowded, underfunded, and often operating beyond capacity. 

If surrendering your pet is unavoidable, we encourage you to take the following steps:

• Vaccinate your pet: This protects them from disease in a high-risk shelter environment.

• Spay or neuter your pet: Altered animals are more likely to be adopted and less likely to reproduce if they are not adopted.

* Keep your pet until there is space. Call the animal shelter and ask if you can keep your pet until space is available at the shelter.

* Please remember that public shelters are limited in capacity and may face the choice of euthanizing your animal. Please ensure you've done all you can before surrendering a pet to your local shelter.

FRCA offers free spay/neuter for pets being to the shelter surrendered to a shelter.

If you are considering this option and need help altering your pet before surrender, please contact us. We want to give your pet the best possible chance at adoption.

Option 2: Rehome Your Pet Directly

If you’re unable to keep your pet but want to avoid the shelter system, consider rehoming through trusted friends, neighbors, or online tools. One free, safe, and reputable platform is:

Rehome by Adopt-a-Pet – This service helps connect your pet with loving families while giving you control over the rehoming process.

Option 3: contact an animal rescue to take your pet. 

Friends of Russell County Animal does not accept cat, dog, bird, or small animal surrenders. 

The rescue may not be within the Southwest Virginia region, but transportation may be possible with the help of our local animal shelters. They work with rescues and transport shelter pets to them weekly.

Homeward Trails Animal Rescue (link https://www.homewardtrails.org )

Friends of Homeless Animals (link: https://foha.org)

Lost Dog & Cat Rescue Foundation ( link https://www.lostdogrescue.org )

Option 4: You May Just Need a Little Help

Before giving up your pet, ask yourself: “What do I really need right now?”

Often, it’s not that you want to rehome your pet—you may just need temporary support.

Friends of Russell County Animals offers a Shelter Intervention Program to keep pets and families together whenever possible. We may be able to help with:

• Emergency or urgent veterinary care

• Basic wellness care

• Spay or neuter assistance

• Pet food or essential supplies

• Guidance or creative problem-solving

If you’re struggling, please complete our assistance application and a team member will follow up with you directly.

If you’re facing a high vet bill, consider setting up a fundraiser on platforms like these platforms allow family, friends, and community members to help.

GoFundMe.

Please visit https://rehome.adoptapet.com

Visit https://russellcountyva.us/161/Animal-Shelter or call (276) 254-5517 for Russell County, VA Shelter.

Visit https://tazewell.dogrescues.org/ or call (276)988-5795 for Tazewell County, VA Shelter.

We’ve compiled a list of nationwide programs that offer financial help to pet owners with urgent veterinary needs. Each program has its own eligibility criteria and application process.

 Nationwide Assistance Programs

• Banfield Foundation: Search under “National Programs” or by state
• Bow Wow Buddies Foundation: Help for dogs in need of medical care
• Canine Cancer Awareness
• Frankie’s Friends: Emergency care for treatable conditions
• Handicapped Pets Foundation: Wheelchairs for disabled pets
• Help-A-Pet: Assistance for critical care
• Joshua Louis Animal Cancer Foundation: Board-certified oncology care
• Land of Pure Gold Foundation: Cancer grants for working dogs
• Magic Bullet Fund: Cancer-specific funding
• The Mosby Foundation
• The Onyx & Breezy Foundation
• The Pet Fund: Non-emergency chronic care
• Pets of the Homeless: Food and vet care for the unhoused
• RedRover Relief: Crisis veterinary support
• Riedel & Cody Fund: For pets battling cancer
• Shakespeare Animal Fund: Emergency veterinary help for low-income families

State-Specific Assistance

• Pet Help Finder: Search local aid by zip code
• Banfield Foundation – State Programs: Select your state
• Best Friends Financial Aid Guide: State-by-state breakdown

First, please go to the Russell County Animal Shelter to check if your pet is there IN PERSON. Next, check out Petco Love Lost. They use your pet’s picture to help find them.

 Bristol Humane / Margaret B. Mitchell Spay & Neuter Clinic

Serving Southwest Virginia and Northeast Tennessee

 ● Affordable spay/neuter for dogs and cats

 ● Vaccination clinics throughout the year

 ● Open to the public (appointments required)

 Location: 16222 Lee Highway, Bristol, VA 24202

 Phone: (276) 591-5790

Website: bristolhumane.org

First, please go to the Russell County Animal Shelter to check if your pet is there IN PERSON. Next, check out Petco Love Lost. They use your pet’s picture to help find them.

Homeward Trails Animal Rescue 

Friends of Homeless Animals

Lynchburg Humane Society  

Sweet Virginia Barn Cats  

Google “dog rescues in Northern Virginia” or “cat rescues in Northern Virginia”.