Bring A Pet Home For The Holidays From Loudoun Shelter

WATERFORD, VA — Loudoun County Animal Services (LCAS) is holding its annual "Home for the Holidays" pet adoption day from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 14, an event where the county department works to find homes for its own animals as well as dogs it brings in from overcrowded and under-resourced shelters across the region. Adoption fees will be waived for all available pets, which include dogs, cats, rabbits and reptiles.

Many Loudoun residents are temporarily fostering dogs from the Loudoun animal shelter to allow LCAS to open up kennel space to bring in the additional pets. "We are so grateful to the citizens of Loudoun who are willing to open their hearts to these homeless dogs to give them hope at finding a family," Jennie Clutterbuck, a behavior specialist and transfer coordinator, said Dec. 5 in a statement.

LCAS has about 10 families fostering for Home for the Holidays this year, said Talia Czapski, Loudoun Animal Services community relations manager. "The response was incredible," she said.

Czapski said LCAS worked with two of its primary transfer partner shelters for this annual event — the shelters in Raleigh and Greenbriar counties, West Virginia. LCAS also worked with a couple of groups in southwestern Virginia to bring in dogs.

Visitors will be able to enjoy hot cocoa and a s'mores station hosted by the Friends of Loudoun County Animals while they are visiting with the pets up for adoption. Goodie bags will be provided to people who adopt one of the pets. Santa also will stop by the event to hand out goodies to the members of the public.

All dogs, cats and rabbits adopted from LCAS are spayed or neutered and receive a microchip registered to the adopter. Dogs and cats also receive age-appropriate vaccinations. The shelter also often has many other pets available for adoption, including hamsters, turtles and livestock.

Prospective adopters can view available pets online at loudoun.gov/animals. LCAS said the standard adoption screening process still applies during this promotion and most adoptions can be completed on the same day. The event will take place at the Loudoun County Animal Shelter, 39820 Charles Town Pike, Waterford.