Phone: (804) 646-5573
Fax: (804) 646-5586
Address:
1600 Chamberlayne Avenue
Richmond, VA 23222
Adoption Center Hours:
Monday: By appointment
Tuesday: By appointment
Wednesday: 12:00PM - 6:00PM
Thursday: 12:00PM - 6:00PM
Friday: 12:00PM - 6:00PM
Saturday: 12:00PM - 5:00PM
Sunday: 12:00PM - 4:00PM
Email Contacts:
Make a difference for homeless pets in need—donate to the RACC Foundation today and help save lives!
About Us
Richmond Animal Care & Control (RACC) was established as the first city pound on June 5, 1902. Since then, it has served as the only open-admission public animal shelter in the City of Richmond. We provide humane care for more than 3,000 stray, sick, injured, and relinquished pets per year. Our focus is on keeping owned animals out of the shelter environment and instead offering pet owners a variety of rehoming options and resources to find placement for their pet(s). With such a great need for immediate intervention with stray, sick, and injured animals in our area, our ability to take in surrendered animals is limited, and we operate on a case-by-case basis when the space and resources are available in this regard. If you live in the City of Richmond and need to surrender your pet, please email raccintake@rva.gov for further assistance.
While we seek to help every pet that comes into our care, there are instances where humane euthanasia is the only option. When an animal is considered a danger to the community or is suffering due to a severe medical condition, we believe the most responsible and compassionate option is humane euthanasia. First and foremost, our commitment is to public safety and ending unnecessary suffering. RACC is not considered a "no-kill" animal shelter and does not subscribe to this label. However, we never humanely euthanize animals due to space or length of stay.
Our Animal Control unit investigates animal cruelty, enforces humane laws, and issues pet licenses/permits. These services include the enforcement of City ordinances related to animals, removal of killed or injured animals/wildlife, impoundment of stray pets, and investigation of animal-related neglect, cruelty, nuisance, and bite cases.
The RACC Foundation (RACCF), our 501(c)(3) non-profit, is committed to championing the success of our agency. RACCF works hand in hand with RACC, diligently contributing to the expenses of vital emergency care, while simultaneously elevating marketing and outreach initiatives through strategic fundraising and volunteer coordination. United in their passion for saving lives, RACC and RACCF are thrilled to unveil a tapestry of heartwarming stories, showcasing unwavering compassion for our City's most vulnerable animals.