RHSPCA Announces New Veterinary Care Center to Open Fall 2026
In 2025, the need for animal welfare services in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County reached unprecedented levels. For six consecutive months, more than 140 dogs and nearly 350 cats were in our care at one time, alongside over 100 animals rescued from hoarding or neglect situations. Many arrived scared, sick, or injured and some waited weeks for care due to limited onsite veterinary resources.
Even amid these challenges, the Rockingham Harrisonburg SPCA remained steadfast in our mission. In 2025 alone, we positively impacted the lives of more than 4,300 animals through adoption, reunification, community cat surgeries, and compassionate support for pets and families across our region.
Looking ahead to 2026, we are excited to share transformational news that will change how we serve animals and our community: the opening of the RHSPCA Veterinary Care Center.
Bringing Veterinary Care In-House
The RHSPCA is launching a Veterinary Care Center right on our campus, an investment that will not only expand lifesaving care, but also significantly reduce the cost of preparing animals for adoption. Through a $500,000 investment and the thoughtful reconfiguration of a former Broadway High School modular classroom, we are creating a smarter, more sustainable model of care for the thousands of animals who depend on the RHSPCA each year.
Construction and renovations will begin in January, with the Veterinary Care Center expected to become operational in Fall 2026.
Once open, animals in our care will receive timely, attentive veterinary treatment on-site, reducing delays, improving medical outcomes, and helping pets move more quickly from shelter to home. With in-house diagnostics, a surgical suite, and the expertise of a dedicated full-time veterinarian, we will be able to deliver lifesaving care faster and more efficiently than ever before.
Additionally, the RHSPCA will dramatically reduce the expenses associated with outside medical services. Spay and neuter surgeries performed onsite will cost considerably less than off-campus procedures allowing donor dollars to stretch farther and enabling us to help more animals.
“The challenges of 2025 made it clear that the future of animal welfare isn’t just about sheltering animals; it’s about supporting people, preventing crisis, and building sustainable access to care.”
— Huck Nawaz, Executive Director
Expanding Lifesaving Impact
The new Veterinary Care Center will significantly expand our capacity to save lives:
- Faster treatment means animals spend less time in the shelter or foster care and become adoptable sooner.
- By the end of 2026, we aim to perform up to 75 feline surgeries each week, nearly 3,900 annually.
- Expanded services will include soft-tissue surgeries, dental procedures, wellness exams, lab work, and diagnostic imaging.
Another major impact of the center will be its role in supporting community cats. By expanding spay/neuter capacity and launching a Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, and Return (TNVR) program, we can prevent litters before they’re born, improve the health of outdoor cats, and reduce shelter intake over time. Increasing access to spay/neuter is one of the most effective long-term strategies for creating a healthier, more humane community.
Keeping Pets and Families Together
When pets face treatable medical issues or need preventive services that owners cannot afford, surrender to a shelter is sometimes the heartbreaking result. Our experience shows that too often, animals enter shelters not because they are unwanted, but because their people have run out of options.
- Hundreds of local animals are surrendered each year, with nearly 1,200 pets entrusted to the RHSPCA by their families in 2025 alone.
- Owner surrender remains one of the leading reasons dogs enter our care, accounting for more than half of dog intakes last year.
- Most animals arrive with little or no medical history, and fewer than 15% of dogs have up-to-date records when they come through our doors.
By offering on-site veterinary services, the RHSPCA Veterinary Care Center will help prevent unnecessary surrenders and keep pets where they belong, at home with the families who love them. Healthy pets, supported families, and fewer animals entering the shelter is a win for our entire community.
Measuring Success Differently
In 2026 and beyond, our success will no longer be measured solely by the number of adoptions we perform. Instead, our impact will be defined by:
- The families we help stay together
- The speed with which animals receive medical care and find adoptive homes
- A reduction in feline intake as our community cat efforts take hold
These outcomes represent true, upstream change by addressing the root causes of pet homelessness and animal suffering.
How You Can Help Make This Vision a Reality
The RHSPCA Veterinary Care Center is more than a construction project, it is a commitment to a stronger, healthier, and more humane future for animals across Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.
To bring this vision to life, we rely on the generosity of donors who believe in compassionate, accessible care for all animals. Philanthropic gifts are essential to completing renovations, equipping the surgical suite, purchasing diagnostic tools, and ensuring the clinic opens prepared to serve our community. Naming opportunities are also available for major areas of the center, along with opportunities to fund critical equipment and supplies.
Your support now means more than ever. Every dollar will stretch farther, and together we can create lasting, measurable impact—keeping pets with their families, reducing preventable suffering, and building a community free of pet homelessness.
You can make a gift using the button below. To learn more or get involved, please contact our Development Office at (540) 434-5270 or Mspiess@rhspca.org. Together, we can make the RHSPCA Veterinary Care Center a reality.
