New nonprofit aims to keep families whole by providing support for pets
By addressing barriers that often lead to owner surrenders, Stay Home! hopes to keep more pets safe and happy with the people who care for them.
A new nonprofit focused on keeping pets with the families who love them has officially launched in Floyd County. “Stay Home!” was built around one simple idea: the best option for every pet is to stay in a loving home.
The organization partners directly with local families to provide practical support such as fencing, dog houses, shelter improvements, and connections to resources like food assistance, veterinary care, and spay/neuter services. By addressing barriers that often lead to owner surrenders, Stay Home! hopes to keep more pets safe and happy with the people who care for them.
“The first, best option is to keep pets where they belong, safe at home with the families who love them,” said Melissa Shaw, Stay Home! volunteer. “Our neighbors want to do the right thing for their animals, but they don’t always have the resources or support to make that possible. We want to bridge that gap before a pet ever enters the shelter system.”
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The organization was created by local animal welfare advocates and long-time volunteers with Floyd County Humane Society, Floyd County Animal Control, and rescue organizations across the country. Through that work, they repeatedly saw families facing preventable challenges, especially a lack of safe fencing and shelter.
“Community and animal welfare means thinking beyond rescue,” said Karee Anderson, Stay Home! volunteer. “It’s also about prevention and long-term support. We’re lucky to live in a region where neighbors help neighbors, and people love animals. We’re adding services and options that will support other local organizations and hopefully prevent unnecessary shelter surrenders before they happen.”
602 East Main Street
Floyd Virginia
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In its first six months, Stay Home! partnered with local families to help 13 dogs gain safe housing, and added fencing to remove the need for tie outs. The organization also assisted with spay and neuter procedures, connected families to pet food and veterinary resources, and raised start-up funding from community donors and corporate sponsors.
One of the group’s first success stories involved a young hound dog named Snoop. Snoop was found wandering in the Check community and eventually made himself known throughout the area, including a memorable stop at Check Elementary School, where he reportedly helped himself to several students’ sack lunches. A local family had fallen in love with the dog and wanted to keep him, but they lacked secure fencing and housing.
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Animal Control reached out to Stay Home!, which worked with the family to build fencing and provide safe, warm shelter for Snoop. The organization also connected the family with additional resources for food assistance and neutering services.
“The outcome is exactly why we started this work,” Shaw said. “Snoop never spent a night in a shelter or rescue. Instead, he stayed with the family that loved him from the beginning.” Organization leaders say the first year has shown both the need for the program and the power of collaboration between local nonprofits, volunteers, and community members.
“As we grow, we hope to expand outreach, build our volunteer network, and create sustainable funding so we can help even more families,” said Anderson. “We’re proving that small acts of support can make a huge difference, one fence, one family, and one pet at a time.”
More information about Stay Home!, and ways to support local families and their pets can be found at www.StayHomeNRV.org.
