Virginia is close to becoming the nation’s largest no-kill state

by Tamsen Kingry, Virginia Mercury
April 14, 2025

The save rate for homeless dogs and cats in Virginia’s shelters last year was 86% – just 4% shy of the nationally-recognized no-kill benchmark of 90%. 

Data from Best Friends Animal Society reveals at least 80 of the state’s shelters are already no-kill, and most others are within reach of it, demonstrating a deep commitment among private and public shelter workers, rescue groups and community members to save all the homeless animals who can be saved – those who are healthy or treatable and not a risk to public safety. This progress puts Virginia close to becoming the nation’s largest no-kill state, a lifesaving milestone that can be accomplished with continued support from residents across the commonwealth. 

To close the gap and achieve no-kill, Virginians can prioritize three key strategies: adoption, prevention and collaboration.

If 5,726 more households – just 0.2% – had adopted a pet from a shelter instead of purchasing from breeders, pet stores or online retailers last year, we would have reached a statewide 90% save rate. Virginia’s shelters are brimming with wonderful pets of all ages, shapes, sizes and personalities, each waiting for a loving home. 

Equally critical to adoption is preventing animals from entering shelters in the first place. Pet guardians should spay and neuter their companions; humanely manage unowned, free-roaming community cat populations; and proactively utilize shelter-provided resources designed to keep pets in loving homes. 

And lastly, the animal welfare community needs to intensify its collaborative efforts, delivering help and support to under-resourced shelters and facilitating pet transfers to alleviate capacity issues when they arise. 

The Richmond SPCA became no-kill in 2002, and we are driven to create and sustain a no-kill community. We help achieve this by providing high-volume spay and neuter services, pet food pantries, crisis boarding, low-cost veterinary care and training while also directly sheltering, rehabilitating, and rehoming 4,000 animals annually. And, over the last 10 years, we have welcomed about 25,000 animals into our care from more than 50 Virginia partners, easing the burden of overcrowding.

No-kill for Virginia is not an aspiration. It’s an imminent reality. We are on the cusp of guaranteeing a future where every healthy and treatable animal in Virginia’s shelters finds a home. We are the solution – every one of us. And together we can accomplish no-kill for the homeless animals in our shelters because they deserve nothing less. 

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