Every Saturday, without fail, a dedicated group of volunteers descends upon the PetSmart on CarMia Way off Midlothian Turnpike in Richmond in the early morning hours. Children, seniors, and every age in between come with one common goal…to find the homeless dogs of Southside SPCA a forever home.
The day begins at 8:30am with a crew that sets up crates, tables, leashes, collars, treats, paperwork supplies, and the countless other items needed to run adoptions. The bus arrives with the dogs and so begins the next phase. Every dog is walked, offered water, fitted with a collar, and placed in a crate.
Adoption counselors and other volunteers arrive and the flood gates open! Prospective adopters come to meet dogs and so begins their day. For 6 hours the volunteers play “matchmaker” in hopes of helping dogs and people connect. There is no time to waste and lunch is more often than not a pizza that is eaten standing up!
At 2:00pm the exhausted, but satisfied, volunteers begin the process of cleaning and packing up. All the dogs that do not go to their forever home that day are loaded on the bus with whispers and promises of “We’ll try again next Saturday”. And for yet another dedicated volunteer, so begins the hour drive back to the shelter.
On any given day we can have up to 25 volunteers. An amazing group of people brought together for one common goal. Together they are changing lives.
If interested in volunteering with the dogs, contact Francee at southsidespcadogs@yahoo.com
If interested in volunteering with the cats, contact E.D. edpistol@comcast.net
Featured on home page (Left to right): Marge Owens, Madison Sims, Kim Sims, Bonnie Thompson, Mollie Schuma, Lauren Sims
Featured below: Erin Sweet and Becky Sheridan (top) Leslie Conrad and Carrie Pullman (bottom)
