Friends is an independent, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and is not a part of the Fairfax County government. However, Friends staff use an office inside the same building as the Shelter.

Friends is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit fundraising partner that supports programs and needs at the Shelter that otherwise would not be provided.

Friends uses donations and contributions for various shelter programs. Some of these programs include medical, dental, parasite prevention, community cat spay, neuter and vaccinate, as well as collars, tags & leashes for adopted cats and dogs. Learn more on our Programs We Fund.

Friends offered a program to do so in the past but did not find that it directly benefited the Shelter pets (such as reduced time waiting to get adopted). Instead, we have created the Spotlight Program.

The Spotlight Program is a way to indicate or spread the word about a great pet you feel is being overlooked, through a tax-deductible donation, to potential adopters. Visit our Spotlight a Pet page for more information.

View our Ways to Donate Page to learn about our various giving programs and how you or your business can donate.

For online donations, Friends accepts ACH (checks), Visa, MasterCard, and Discover. For donations received by mail, we accept personal checks. Cash is accepted for donations made in person.

Yes. Friends gives supporters the option of adding three percent to the total transaction amount to help cover imposed payment processing fees.

Friends can accept gifts of stock, cars, and other donations. On a case-by-case basis, we accept in-kind donations from local businesses. Additionally, at some of our events, we hold silent auctions, for which we accept donations of products/services/experiences. Please check out our Ways to Donate page for more information.

Help pets in need by shopping our Wish List on Chewy to donate supplies directly to Friends. Click here to learn more!

The Shelter’s Wish List is located at amazon.com!

Friends is audited on an annual basis with the exception of 2019. Our financial activity is reviewed by an independent accounting firm and they prepare our financial reports on a monthly basis. The financial reports are also shared with the Shelter Director.

A copy of our most recent annual statement, along with past statements, may be found on our website under Annual Reports. Additionally, a copy of our financial statement is available upon written request to the Commonwealth of Virginia, Office of Consumer Affairs. You can also request copies of our 990 filings from the IRS.