Our History

Since 1979, Richmond Animal League has been finding homes for homeless dogs and cats in the Richmond area.

For many years we rented a kennel in Chesterfield County. In 1987 the property was sold to a residential developer and we were asked to leave the facility. In spite of this setback, we continued to care for many needy animals and boarded them at veterinarian offices and foster homes. Our goal was to raise enough money to build a brand new facility.

After 7 years of fundraising activities and the generosity of our community, our dreams became a reality! In May 1994, we opened our new kennel near Chesterfield Towne Center. This facility can house up to 30 dogs, and 60 cats and kittens.

Since our facility opened, we have helped thousands of animals. We found homes for over 1,300 animals last year.

Though there is now a small staff of 8 full-time employees, RAL has always been led by a volunteer board dedicated to reducing euthanasia rates in our community. 

In 2009, we saw the great need for a low-cost, high-volume spay neuter clinic on the southside of the James.  A year later, we opened an onsite clinic.  The Loving Spay & Neuter Clinic provides low-cost services to municipal shelters, rescue groups, and private pet owners, as well as free services for feral cats.  Free spay and neuter services are available for pet owners who met low-income guidelines. 

Our history continues to be written as we grow.  We could not have gotten here without your support.  Thanks for being a part of Richmond Animal League.