Since 1916, the Roanoke Valley SPCA has made the welfare of homeless and unwanted animals a priority and in 1958 the RVSPCA became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Our mission is to be a community resource that provides pet adoption, retention, and education services in Virginia’s Blue Ridge. By implementing resources and programs that support our mission, we hope to have a community where animal welfare is valued and demonstrated that leads to positive outcomes for both animals and people.
In 1959, the RVSPCA moved into a converted farmhouse (built in 1917) located in a flood plain close to the banks of Tinker Creek. Expansion occurred in 1971 when the Shaftman Wing was added to the facility. Floods in 1984, 1985, and 1992 caused significant and increasing damage to the building. With leadership and support, private funds were raised for the construction of the Roanoke Valley SPCA, a no-kill, limited admission adoption and education shelter and the current facility was opened in February 2004.
We provide a safe environment for lost, abandoned and homeless animals and strive to set a standard of excellence and leadership in animal care, humane education and progressive animal welfare programs.
We provide food, shelter, rehabilitation and medical treatment for homeless animals. Prior to adoption, all animals are spayed/neutered, microchipped, receive medical care and behavioral training and all vaccinations, including rabies, are brought up-to-date.
We have worked very hard to implement programs and deliver services that help ensure that every animal in our care can be adopted into a permanent loving home. To save even more animals, the Roanoke Valley SPCA provides life-saving foster care for underage, under-socialized and sick animals. We promote animal welfare through programs and services that mutually benefit people and animals.
In 2007, we began the PET (Pets Eat Too) Program to feed the pets of homebound seniors receiving Meals-On-Wheels. That program has grown to include the pets of disadvantaged families receiving assistance from three food pantry partner agencies.
In 2009, we developed our in-school humane education program to create a brighter, more compassionate future for animals and people by educating elementary school children to be respectful and compassionate toward all living beings, teaching responsible pet ownership through spaying and neutering and how to be good stewards of our environment.
In 2010, we opened Mountain View Humane, a low-cost/high-quality spay neuter clinic, in Christiansburg and 2017 launched a mobile spay/neuter and community pet wellness mobile clinic in Roanoke. Our intent in opening these facilities is to reduce the number of abandoned and unwanted pets in the Valley.
In 2021, we celebrated our 25,000th adoption in our new adoption center.
And through our current strategic plan we are implementing new pet safety-net programs that ensure that the Roanoke Valley SPCA will always be there as a resource for keeping pets and their humans together. Some recently program developments include the Judith Goins Behavior Assistance Program, the Pet Deposit Assistance Program, and the expansion of the Companion Animal Relief Fund (C.A.Re) Fund.
The Roanoke Valley SPCA has earned Charity Navigator’s highest 4-star rating and a Platinum Seal for Transparency from GuideStar for demonstrated fiscal responsibility and growth.
The Roanoke Valley SPCA is an independent nonprofit corporation and receives no federal or state support; we are funded entirely by individual and corporate contributions, grants, bequests, fundraisers and revenue generating services. We receive no general operating support from the ASPCA or HSUS.