My name is Hold On!

At RACC, our focus is on same-day adoptions. Anyone interested in adopting an animal, along with all household members, must visit the shelter in person to meet and interact with the animal(s). During the visit, RACC staff will ask a series of questions to determine if the animal(s) would be a good fit. Once an appropriate match is made, the prospective adopter will need to complete an adoption application, which will be reviewed and approved or denied immediately.

For dog adoptions, any resident dogs must also attend the meet-and-greet. Kittens 4 months or younger must be adopted in pairs or have another cat at home to ensure proper socialization and prevent Single Kitten Syndrome.

Adoption fees cover the cost of spay/neuter surgery, flea/tick prevention, age-appropriate vaccinations, deworming, microchipping, heartworm testing (for dogs 6 months and older), and FeLV/FIV testing (for cats).


Adoption fees:
- $100 adoption fee for dogs, puppies 5 months or older, cats, and kittens
- $150 adoption fee for puppies 4 months or younger
- Cats and kittens may be adopted two for the price of one
- Adoption fees may be waived for medical or space reasons at management discretion

Available by appointment on Mondays and Tuesdays.

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.

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.