Nearly 10K Cats, Dogs Killed At VA Animal Shelters Last Year

VIRGINIA — Nearly 10,000 cats and dogs were euthanized in Virginia shelters last year, according to data compiled by a national animal advocacy organization.

Data collected by the Best Friends Animal Society shows Virginia still does a better job than many states saving homeless animals; however, shelters across the state reported that 9,878 cats and dogs were euthanized in 2023.

The most deaths were reported in the city of Newport News, where 1,430 animals were euthanized. According to the data, all 1,877 deaths were reported by the city's Peninsula Regional Animal Shelter.

"This shelter is government-run with a mandate to handle animal services in one or more communities in the area," the data states. "Agencies like this one routinely work with limited resources and space. But with help from community members, they can help sustain safe, humane neighborhoods for pets and people."

The cities of Chesapeake and Suffolk followed with 622 and 536 deaths, respectively.

“Roughly 7 million people in America are planning to acquire a pet this year, and if just 6 percent more people chose to adopt versus purchase their pets, we would end the killing of dogs and cats in our nation’s shelters,” Julie Castle, CEO of Best Friends Animal Society, said in a news release.

According to the data, the most deaths were reported in Texas in California. In Texas, more than 82,600 cats and dogs were euthanized in 2023, followed by more than 66,000 in California.

Despite reported deaths in Virginia, shelters were able to save or find homes for more than 105,000 of the 126,859 animals in their care.

According to the Best Friends Animal Society, the organization is working with Virginia animal welfare organizations and stakeholders statewide to reach statewide no-kill status by 2025.