VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — Clear the Shelters 2024 is underway and celebrating a decade of finding lovable homes.
10 On Your Side is spotlighting several adoption centers taking part in this year’s campaign, including the Virginia Beach SPCA. The shelter is abundant with animals as it’s facing issues with overcrowding.
“We typically can have anywhere between 150 and 200 in the shelter at any given time, and that fluctuates severely just based on the type of animals we have,” said Matt Wurzburger, Virginia Beach SPCA digital media specialist.
The Virginia Beach SPCA said it is feeling the effects of a nationwide trend in which adoption rates are slowing for a number of reasons, such as the increase in the cost of living.
“We do try to counteract that with services like our pet pantry for people who maybe need assistance feeding their pet and with our low-cost clinic services that we offer as well,” WurzBurger said. “But still, it is just a hurdle to adopt or to own an animal.
For this year’s campaign, VB SPCA is taking 25% off all adult cat and dog adoptions until the end of August. That includes furry faces like Nolla, an 8-year-old senior who’s been at the shelter for five months. The chow shepherd mix is said to be a gigantic sweetheart.
“We have Gaia,” Wurzburger said. “She is about three years old. She’s a cat who’s been in and out of our care a couple of times, just as we continue to try to find the right fit for her. We really are just trying to find the right fit for her because she does love on her own terms and has boundaries that she really needs respected.”
The Virginia Beach SPCA, at 3040 Holland Road, is open for adoptions daily from 1 to 6 p.m., except Mondays and Wednesdays.