Across the commonwealth, thousands of animals are waiting for a second chance. Whether they’re helping pets find forever homes, training service dogs or providing affordable veterinary care, these five Northern Virginia nonprofits are creating lasting change in the lives of animals and the people who love them.
Humane Society of Northern Virginia
The Humane Society of Northern Virginia, powered by Advocates for Abused and Abandoned Pets, is an animal rescue based in Dumfries. Its “Pets 4 Life” motto focuses on the human-animal bond that helps pets find their forever homes. That commitment is evident through HSNV’s adoption process, which requires pet socializing and training to ensure both the pet and adopter are set up for success. HSNV also has summer camps for young animal lovers, low-cost vaccine clinics and a trap-neuter-return (TNR) program for cats. HSNV is an all-volunteer nonprofit and always searching for volunteers to coordinate fostering, fundraising, events, training, grants and marketing.
To learn more, donate, volunteer or foster, visit its website or follow on Facebook or Instagram.
Squishy Face Crew
Squishy Face Crew Virginia is a foster-based animal rescue that partners with underserved shelters across the commonwealth to provide medical and foster care before adoption. Since its founding, it has saved more than 13,000 pets, with over 1,100 adopted so far in 2026 alone. Today, more than 300 deserving animals are in Squishy Face Crew’s care. In addition, SFC offers a parvo program that transfers affected animals from its partner shelters for treatment. SFC has a knack for giving its animals hilarious names like “Desperate Bicycle” and “Butter Tarts,” so its adoptable animals are always worth a browse. Volunteers are currently needed to assist with adoption events and tasks at its Spotsylvania headquarters like cleaning, dog walking and intake support.
To learn more, donate, volunteer or foster, visit its website or follow on Facebook or Instagram.
Lucky Dog Animal Rescue
Out of Arlington, the Lucky Dog Animal Rescue is a foster-based rescue giving animals a second chance. Lucky Dog has saved 35,000 animal lives since 2009, hosting several adoption events each week and performing more than 7,200 spay and neuter surgeries in the past three years. In-person volunteers get to know each pet’s personality, assisting with the match process, and remote volunteers offer behind the scenes support such as adoption counseling and fundraising. “The animals are saved by the people,” said Emily Jagdmann, Lucky Dog’s marketing and communications manager. Lucky Dog also has a Lucky Dog Youth Program, which provides volunteer opportunities for animal lovers under 18.
To learn more, donate, volunteer or foster, visit its website or follow on Facebook or Instagram.
K-9 Caring Angels Therapy and Service Dogs
This mission-driven nonprofit provides veterans, first responders and the community with highly skilled therapy and service dogs. When founder Sonny Madsen’s daughter returned home from a deployment to Afghanistan with the U.S. Air Force, she witnessed the difficulty of the transition firsthand. Her recovery noticeably shifted when a service dog entered her life. Today, K-9 Caring Angels works to provide similar individual placements – along with facility placements – American Kennel Club-recognized training for volunteer therapy dogs and wellness grant-funded dog placements for institutions and college campuses. In addition, K-9 Caring Angels provides pups with training, partners with organizations to bring in therapy dogs and coordinates applications for service dog placements.
To learn more, donate or volunteer, visit its website or follow on Facebook.
Animal Welfare League of Alexandria
Celebrating its 80th anniversary this year, the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria partners with the City of Alexandria to provide animal care, control and sheltering. The organization boasts a wide range of services through a network of community partners that provide animal training, a community pet pantry and low-cost spay/neuter and vaccination clinics. The AWLA believes supporting local animal welfare organizations has an impact that spreads beyond the immediate community, noting that “continuing to adopt from organizations in this area allows us to save animals in other parts of the country.” While AWLA is not currently accepting volunteers, it welcomes anyone open to fostering opportunities, especially with kittens and larger dogs, which are in the greatest need of foster homes.
To learn more, donate or foster, visit its website or follow on Facebook or Instagram.
