​​The Pet Assistance League (PAL) of Virginia

1.  Q. What is the adoption fee?
A. The adoption fee for dogs is typically $250 - $350. The adoption fee for cats is $135.

2.  Q. Why is there an adoption fee?
A. PAL is a 501-c3 non-profit that exists to rescue, medically rehabilitate, and rehome stray and unwanted animals in Virginia. PAL relies primarily on donations to help pay the significant veterinary bills that are incurred in caring for the many rescues waiting for their forever home. Most of the animals that PAL takes in must be spayed or neutered before they are ready for adoption. The adoption fee offsets a small portion of the actual costs.

3. Q. Where do the animals that PAL cares for come from?
A.  Most of the animals that PAL has available for adoption come from local shelters. The majority of them are scheduled to be 'euthanized' - a politically correct way of saying they are going to be killed - to make room for other unwanted and stray animals.

4. Q. What is the adoption process?
A. PAL requires that an adoption application be completed. We want to do everything possible to make sure that you are adopting an animal that will best fit in with your family. PAL has the following adoption requirements:
-- Incomplete applications will not be considered
-- A home visit will be required
-- Everyone in the household must be in agreement with the adoption
-- PAL will not adopt a pet into a household that has any pets that are not spayed or neutered
-- PAL reserves the right to refuse any adoption application

5. Q. What is PAL's policy on spaying and neutering? I'd like to get a dog that I can breed.
A. Millions of cats and dogs enter shelters every year, and millions are killed because there is no room for them (look it up at hsus.org). Any pet adopted from PAL is required to be spayed or neutered. Because PAL, along with any other rescue, is considered a 'releasing agency', it is required under Virginia law that any animal adopted from PAL be sterilized when they are adopted, or by 6 months of age.

6. Q.  I'd like to work for PAL, are you hiring?
A.  PAL is completely volunteer, there are no paid positions. If you'd like to help, we are always looking for more volunteers.

7. Q.  I'd like to help, what does PAL need?
A.  The primary need is always foster homes. Since PAL does not have a permanent facility, we rely on a network of foster homes for the care of all animals. There is always a shortage of foster homes, which limits the number of animals that can be saved from shelters. We are also perpetually short on funding.

8. Q. I have a dog that I need to give up. Can you take him? We're moving and can't take him with us.
A. Probably not. PAL is typically over-full and short on foster homes. When you took this animal, you made a commitment to take care of him. Please know that if you take him to a shelter, he will likely be killed. Owner surrenders are the first to go, there is no required hold period. If the shelter picks up a stray, they are required to hold it for some period (how long depends on which county). It really doesn't matter if he is a great dog, knows tricks or has pretty eyes - if the shelter is full and you surrender your dog, or if he's already there and a stray comes in, he's going to be put down to make room.