If you’re looking to add a furry, four-legged family member to your brood, consider adopting a
pet. Before you go to a pet store and spend thousands of dollars on buying a pet, though, look at
the pets who are already out there and who need a loving home. There are plenty of places to
adopt in our area. Here are just a few. Check them out.
PetSmart – This pet supply store has a charity that helps place animals in need in loving homes.
If you visit their website, you can search by zip code and find hundreds of animals near you in
need of a home. Throughout Western Prince William County, there are PetSmart adoption
locations that host adoption days or have animals on site to adopt year-round. Nationally,
PetSmart charities save about 400,000 pets annually.
Prince William County Animal Shelter – This animal shelter houses mainly dogs and cats for the
entire Prince William County area. The shelter is not a no-kill shelter; however they do not
euthanize animals for space or after a set period of time. The staff works with each animal to test
its temperament so they can help determine the best possible home. Visit them to find out which
dog or cat might be the perfect furry companion for your family.
Animal Adoption Center – Located in Manassas, this adoption center pairs homeless pets with
new owners every day. While they have mainly dogs and cats, they sometimes have small
companion animals like rabbits, birds, gerbils and guinea pigs for adoption. All dogs and cats
adopted here are spayed or neutered, get a one-year rabies vaccination and are tested for either
Feline Leukemia or heartworms (depending on the species).
Promises Animal Rescue – This rescue is dedicated to saving German Shepherds and Labrador
Retrievers given up by their owners or dogs in danger of abuse or neglect. They keep the dogs
out of shelters by placing them in loving, responsible homes. Promises Animal Rescue is there as
a support system for you after you have adopted one of their dogs. They also accept dog foster
parents to help take care of their animals for shorter periods of time.
Fauquier SPCA – For over 50 years, this rescue has been saving animals in the community. They
have a facility with 36 dog kennels, 6 dog quarantine kennels and 3 separate cat rooms
(including a cat sunroom). There is a spay-and- neuter clinic on the premises, as well as a
crematorium for people whose pets have passed. In their adoption center, they house only
animals who have been spayed or neutered, microchipped, vaccinated and tested for
temperament. They advise people to take time in choosing just the right pet for their family.
Their experts can help match you with just the right pet for you. They also offer follow-up phone
calls and training classes to ensure your pet has a smooth transition to your home.
If you’re not in the market to adopt a pet, but you’re just an animal lover, consider donating time
or money to these worthy organizations. The animals and the people who care for them will
thank you!
Chris Colgan is the CEO and Team Leader of the Chris Colgan Real Estate Team. Chris was
born and raised in Gainesville, Virginia and has been in real estate for 10 years. He is a member
of the Re/Max Hall of Fame and is in the top 25 for sales in the state of Virginia out of all
Re/Max agents. He has been recognized as one of the United States’ and Canada’s Top 500
Marketing Experts by the National Association of Expert Advisors.
