2O25 H E N R I C O H U M A N E S O C I E T Y
FROM OUR BOARD CHAIR
H E N R I C O H U M A N E S
To our incredible community of supporters, volunteers, and friends,
As we look back on 2025, I am filled with immense pride and gratitude for what we have accomplished together. This year wasn't just about finding homes for pets; it was about strengthening our partnerships and the capacity of Henrico Humane Society to save more animals in distress who rely on us for healing and finding their forever families.
Because of your unwavering support, Henrico Humane Society reached several historic milestones over the past twelve months.
2025 Highlights & Successes
Record-Breaking Adoptions: We successfully placed 284 cats and dogs into loving, permanent homes. Each of these represents a life saved and a family made whole.
Expansion of Spay/Neuter Initiatives: Through our many partnerships in the community, we provided more than 600 spay/neuter surgeries, directly tackling the root cause of pet overpopulation in our region.
Volunteer Excellence: Our volunteer network contributed thousands of hours of service. Whether it was fostering, transporting, or volunteering at our signature events like Pet Expo, your hands and hearts are the engine of this organization.
2026 will be a year of growth for Henrico Humane Society. We are laser-focused on strengthening our foundation to ensure the long-term sustainability of our mission. From expanding our service to save more of Central Virginia’s homeless animals, to decreasing the overpopulation with our Spay RVA program, our board of directors, volunteers and staff are committed to ensuring that even the most vulnerable animals—those with complex medical needs—get a fair shot at a happy life.
Every donation made and every hour volunteered in 2025 proved that our community is compassionate and truly cares. While the work never stops, it is important to pause and celebrate these victories for the animals.
Thank you for being their voice.
With gratitude, Cara Salman
Cara Salman, Board Chair
"The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members . . . "
~Coretta Scott King
E N R I C O H
FOREVER STARTS HERE
What started as a few neighbors in Henrico saving lives from their own garages has transformed into a premier animal rescue network. For over three decades, Henrico Humane Society has been the bridge between homelessness and a "forever home." We are more than just a network of foster homes; we are a community dedicated to rewriting the futures of Central Virginia’s most vulnerable animals.
MISSION
Henrico Humane Society is a foster-based, volunteer-driven, non-profit organization that rescues dogs and cats from across Central Virginia. We strive to build a community where every companion animal has a loving home.
VISION
We envision a future where every companion animal, across Central Virginia, finds a forever home.
CORE VALUES
Compassionate | We act with kindness and empathy toward animals and people alike, driven by a shared commitment to improving animal lives.
Transparent | Transparency guides us to be honest and accountable to our donors, volunteers, and the community.
Dedicated | We are dedicated to supporting each other and strive to build a community where every companion animal has a loving home.
Respectful | Having respect for all living beings ensures that we treat every animal and person with kindness, building a culture of dignity and care.
Collaborative | We recognize and appreciate the unique contributions of every supporter, treating all individuals with dignity and gratitude as we work together toward achieving shared goals.
Welcoming | We foster a welcoming, supportive and inclusive environment where all people feel part of a caring community, united by a common purpose to achieve our mission.
284 dog and cat ad
25% increase over ADOPTION
SPAY/NEUTE
492 shelter dogs and ca spayed/neuter
117 publicly owned pe spayed/neutered at no cost
75 Fostered animals with loving families 15% increase over 2024
PARTNERSHIP HIGHLIGHTS
In 2023, the William A. Harrison, Jr. Foundation launched Furbish Thrift, Richmond’s first retail thrift store dedicated to supporting animal welfare.
Henrico Humane Society’s rescue efforts have grown exponentially through our partnership with Furbish Thrift.
In 2024, HHS provided spay and neuter services for 182 animals. In 2025, that number increased dramatically thanks to additional funding from Furbish Thrift, with 609 cats and dogs receiving these critical services.
Our ongoing partnership with the Henrico County Police Animal Shelter continues to provide vital support for rescued animals. Together, and with the support of Furbish Thrift, we helped 492 shelter animals get spayed or neutered, preparing them for a faster, healthier path to adoption.
Henrico Humane Society also expanded our Shelter Adoption Events, where dozens of dedicated volunteers show up in all kinds of weather to walk dogs, cuddle cats, and introduce them to families looking to adopt. These efforts have strengthened our partnerships and resulted in hundreds of successful adoptions.
BEFORE | AFTER - MADDIE’S STORY
Take a good look at Maddie who, on August 13, 2025, was found in a Kroger parking lot and taken to the Henrico County Police Animal Shelter. Her hair was so long and matted down to her skin that she could not open her eyes, had trouble walking, and difficulty eating. There was no microchip and she had not been spayed. Her owner was never found.
Guessing her to be a Maltese mix around 5-years old, the shelter staff gave Maddie a basic grooming –cutting away the masses of hair irritating her skin and around her eyes and mouth so that she could eat and open her eyes. Then, Henrico Humane Society stepped in. We transferred Maddie out of the shelter and into a foster home, where her life changed dramatically.
First step in recovery, we took sweet Maddie for an exam at Animal Eye Care of Richmond. The Veterinarian found that she had inflammation of the eyelids due to accumulated bacteria, slight scarring of the cornea, and dry eye – all related to the severe matting. Maddie’s amazing Foster, Lauren carefully administered four medications multiple times a day, including steroids and antibiotics, Maddie quickly recovered. Despite some permanent hair loss around her eyes, her true happy-go-lucky, “I love belly-rubs” personality began to shine through.
Our vet partners estimated Maddie to be a 10-year-old. HHS had her spayed and microchipped before making her available for adoption in mid-September. When our friends at Petnificent heard Maddie s story, the staff gave her a special grooming, free of charge, so that she would look her best as the search for her permanent home began. There were many applications for this 15-pound cutie and her forever home was found with Nancy on October 10, 2025 – just eight weeks after being rescued.
Maddie still requires eye drops twice a day, but she sits still for Nancy as they’re given, knowing she’ll get a special treat afterwards. And grooming? She loves going regularly. Her tail wags the entire time. No more mats. No more pain.
Today, Maddie is enjoying the good life – no, the BEST life – as she plays with the grandkids, greets all her neighborhood dog buddies when she and Nancy take their daily walks, and best of all – when she cuddles up with Nancy as they take a morning nap together after enjoying a tasty breakfast. According to Nancy, “Maddie is just precious.” H E N R I C O H U M A N E S O C I E T Y
2025 MILESTONES
NEW VOLUNTEER & DONOR MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
Professionalism, responsiveness, and gratitude are the cornerstones of Henrico Humane Society’s success. To uphold these standards, we launched a new Volunteer and Donor Management System in 2025. This strategic investment ensures we operate with the efficiency and accuracy required to remain a dynamic leader in animal welfare.
ADDED A NEW SHELTER SQUAD
Our Volunteer Shelter Squad has been a game-changer for the Henrico County Police Animal Shelter, fueling a phenomenal 89% increase in adoptions over the previous year. By turning out in force for adoption events, our dedicated volunteers have helped promote and secure hundreds of new beginnings for shelter pets.
19% INCREASE IN REVENUE
In 2025, Henrico Humane Society saw a 19% increase in revenue over the previous year. This growth reflects surging support from individuals, businesses, and foundations alike. It is a testament to our community’s confidence in us as a trusted partner dedicated to the rescue, medical rehabilitation, and permanent placement of companion animals.
LAUNCHED A NEW WEBSITE
With a bold new look and effortless browsing, our new website makes finding a forever pet seamless.
H E N R I C O H U M A N E S O C
VOLUNTEER-DRIVEN
Kayla joined Henrico Humane Society as a volunteer in December 2024. While a relatively new volunteer to our organization, Kayla has been busy, busy, BUSY. Although her full-time job is a devoted mom to (nearly) two-year old daughter Logan, and wife to her husband Jacob, she dotes on their tri-pod pet dog “Clementine”, and pulls down four (that’s right: 4!) part-time jobs – three of which are with HHS veterinary sister hospitals: Veterinary Specialists of Hanover, Hanover Animal Hospital, and Better Pet Veterinary Urgent Care.
Just what can one volunteer do to help HHS rescue homeless animals?
Kayla is a Dog Foster. Kayla started by providing a short-term foster home for “Joe,” a deaf lab mix. Kayla and her family love fostering dogs, as evidenced by the additional five dogs they took in from January through July. Of course, their own dog, “Clemie,” loves playing with each of her new “brothers and sisters,” and seems to thrive in her unofficial position as the family’s “foster ambassador”.
Kayla is a Medical Coordinator. Kayla’s favorite position, and the one she’s most passionate about, is using her vast experience at animal hospitals and urgent animal care centers to coordinate communication between foster parents, HHS animal coordinators and veterinary resources. Kayla makes sure that all HHS dogs receive the proper and timely medical care they need prior to adoption. While dogs are the majority of her “clients”, Kayla is also there to help cats with complicated and/or urgent medical issues as they come up.
Kayla is a Foster Coordinator. Kayla provides guidance and support to other HHS dog fosters, helping them navigate potential adoption meet and greets; coordinating veterinary appointments; answering questions from the foster parents about their foster dogs’ behaviors, diets, personalities, etc., Kayla is a valuable resource for other volunteers that helps make possible more available foster homes for unwanted animals.
Kayla is an Adoption Application Screener. Screening applications for dog adoptions is another job Kayla enjoys doing. Talking with potential adopters and helping to coordinate the deciding “meet and greet”, before final adoption, is key to finding the perfect match for both dogs and families.
Kayla is a Pet Expo Volunteer. This is the only “day away” position that’s also so much fun. Last year was Kayla’s first year at Pet Expo where she helped at the registration table. This year, she’s hoping to be assigned as a “dog handler” with the adoptable dogs. Of course!
Why does Kayla keep coming back for more? “The people I volunteer alongside, and the incredible animals we’re able to save together, are what keep me coming back. HHS’s mission, especially its commitment to helping animals with medical needs, deeply resonates with me. Volunteering with HHS allows me to continue doing that meaningful work, while still being present at home with my little girl by my side.”
We can t thank Kayla enough for her commitment and passion toward helping animals. Her volunteer work with HHS is indispensable.
This is a pivotal moment in the history of the Henrico Humane Society.
We are standing on the threshold of an extraordinary opportunity: Henrico County is breaking ground on a brand-new animal shelter, and they have entrusted us to lead its day-to-day operations.
What does this mean for our community? It means we are going to save more lives than ever before!
To meet this moment, we have launched a bold 3-year Strategic Plan. This roadmap focuses on scaling our infrastructure, expanding our volunteer network, and cultivating a team of highly-skilled professionals ready to provide world-class care. While our footprint is growing, our heartbeat remains the same: rescuing, fostering, and finding forever homes for the dogs and cats of Central Virginia.
The future is bright, and our resolve has never been stronger. We are ready for the challenge.
WHAT’S AHEAD ForeverStartsHere
