📊 Real data — every figure on this page comes from Virginia Dept. of Agriculture & Consumer Services (VDACS) Animal Custody Records (dogs only, CY2021–2025), with a source link on each year. Generated from the barkhood database. 📑 View the pitch deck (PDF) →
← All counties · The data

Dog shelter outcomes · DMV · Virginia

Fairfax County, Virginia

A well-resourced metro county on the demand side of the DMV — strong adoption capacity, low intake per resident. Here is how its dogs actually fared, in the open.

≥ 94.7%dog live-release rate (2025)
✓ no-killabove the 90% benchmark, every year
5.2dogs taken in per 1,000 residents
33reporting shelters (19/29 complete)

The headline · 2025

≥ 94.7%

live-release rate — of every dog whose outcome was decided, ≥ 94.7% left the shelter alive (adopted, returned to owner, or transferred to rescue).

FLOOR · ≥ Virginia merges all euthanasia into one figure, so owner-requested (mercy) cases can’t be separated out. This rate is a conservative floor — the true live-release rate is at least this high.

The trend · 2021 → 2025

Above the no-kill line, every year.

100% 90% · no-kill 85% 97.396.596.195.394.7 20212022202320242025

Where the dogs went · 2025

5,974 outcomes decided. Here is every one.

The live-release rate is one number; transparency means showing the whole denominator — including the deaths, separated honestly by kind.

5,974 outcomes decided 5,648 left alive  ·  326 did not
5,648 left alive  ·  live-release rate ≥ 94.7% 326 did not 4686Adopted · 78%770Returned · 13%270
4,686Adopted78%
770Returned to owner13%
192Transferred to rescue3%
270Euthanasia (undifferentiated) — merged total — owner-requested can't be separated, so the rate is a floor5%
48Died in care — a medical signal, not a choice0.8%
8Other outcome0.1%

Bar width is proportional to count, out of 5,974 decided outcomes. 95% left alive; this is a floor — Virginia merges owner-requested euthanasia into the total, so the true live-release rate is at least 94.7% and likely higher.

By shelter · every reporting year

33 reporting shelters

Each row links to the state source.

Animal Allies, Inc.

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
2025000—floorVDACS report
2024000—floorVDACS report
2023000—floorVDACS report
2022000—floorVDACS report
2021000—floorVDACS report

Boxer Rescue and Adoption, Inc.

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
2025420≥100.0%floorVDACS report
2024220≥100.0%floorVDACS report
2023783≥72.7%floorVDACS report
2022952≥71.4%floorVDACS report
2021660≥100.0%floorVDACS report

Caring Hearts Rescue

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
202519191≥95.0%floorVDACS report
202434301≥96.8%floorVDACS report
202321210≥100.0%floorVDACS report
202213130≥92.9%floorVDACS report
202112140≥100.0%floorVDACS report

Cat Tales of Prince William

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
2025000—floorVDACS report
2024000—floorVDACS report

Collie Rescue, Incorporated

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
202514140≥100.0%floorVDACS report
202413120≥100.0%floorVDACS report
202321250≥100.0%floorVDACS report
202227251≥96.2%floorVDACS report
202121201≥95.2%floorVDACS report

Dachshund Rescue of North America - VA Chapter

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
2021760≥85.7%floorVDACS report

Dewey Animals, Inc.

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
2025000—floorVDACS report
2024000—floorVDACS report
2023000—floorVDACS report
2022000—floorVDACS report
2021000—floorVDACS report

Fairfax County Animal Control and Public Animal Shelter

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
20251,8321,600242≥86.7%floorVDACS report
20241,8211,589225≥87.1%floorVDACS report
20231,8951,674175≥90.3%floorVDACS report
20221,5511,385144≥90.3%floorVDACS report
20211,2561,135121≥90.1%floorVDACS report

Fairfax County Humane Society Dog Shelter

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
202549372≥94.9%floorVDACS report
202423281≥96.6%floorVDACS report
202356560≥100.0%floorVDACS report
202272761≥98.7%floorVDACS report
20211041020≥99.0%floorVDACS report

Fancy Cats Rescue Team, Inc.

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
20251661420≥95.9%floorVDACS report
20241351341≥99.3%floorVDACS report
202398950≥94.1%floorVDACS report
202247491≥96.1%floorVDACS report
20211491401≥98.6%floorVDACS report

Feline Foundation of Greater Washington, Inc., The

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
2025000—floorVDACS report
2024000—floorVDACS report
2023000—floorVDACS report
2021000—floorVDACS report

Homeward Trails Adoption Center

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
20251,0321,01712≥97.8%floorVDACS report
20241,3711,30511≥98.5%floorVDACS report
20231,3041,30210≥98.6%floorVDACS report
20222,2062,15017≥98.5%floorVDACS report
20211,5861,5916≥99.4%floorVDACS report

Justice for Paws Animal Rescue, Inc.

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
202513150≥100.0%floorVDACS report
202449540≥100.0%floorVDACS report
20231091041≥99.0%floorVDACS report

Lab Rescue Of L.R.C.P., Inc.

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
202179571510≥98.6%floorVDACS report

Metropolitan Guinea Pig Rescue

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
2025000—floorVDACS report
2024000—floorVDACS report
2023000—floorVDACS report
2021000—floorVDACS report

Mount Vernon Animal Rescue Inc.

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
202545481≥98.0%floorVDACS report
202410110≥100.0%floorVDACS report
20231690≥100.0%floorVDACS report
2022110≥100.0%floorVDACS report

Mutt Love Rescue

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
202566670≥98.5%floorVDACS report
202454671≥98.5%floorVDACS report
202368694≥94.5%floorVDACS report
202196873≥96.7%floorVDACS report

Northern Virginia Sheltie Rescue, Inc.

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
202531300≥100.0%floorVDACS report
202418190≥100.0%floorVDACS report
202333282≥90.3%floorVDACS report
202222182≥90.0%floorVDACS report
202126280≥100.0%floorVDACS report

NOVA Pets Alive

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
20251071010≥99.0%floorVDACS report
20241331300≥99.2%floorVDACS report
202327260≥100.0%floorVDACS report
202289921≥98.9%floorVDACS report
20212232281≥99.6%floorVDACS report

Operation Git-Meow, Inc.

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
2025000—floorVDACS report
2024000—floorVDACS report
2023000—floorVDACS report
2022000—floorVDACS report
2021000—floorVDACS report

Operation Paws for Homes

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
20251,1511,0745≥98.7%floorVDACS report
20249349810≥99.2%floorVDACS report
20231,0951,0222≥99.1%floorVDACS report
20221,0551,0644≥98.8%floorVDACS report
20211,2041,2171≥98.7%floorVDACS report

Pets Bring Joy

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
2025000—floorVDACS report
2024000—floorVDACS report
2023000—floorVDACS report
2022110≥100.0%floorVDACS report
2021000—floorVDACS report

Pets Limited, Inc.

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
2025000—floorVDACS report
2024000—floorVDACS report

Second Start Rescue

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
2025114961≥98.0%floorVDACS report

Somerset Cottage Poodle Rescue

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
20251191122≥96.6%floorVDACS report
20241221172≥96.7%floorVDACS report

The Commonwealth Humane Society, Inc.

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
2025000—floorVDACS report
2024000—floorVDACS report
2023000—floorVDACS report
2022000—floorVDACS report

Tiny Cat Animal Rescue

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
2025000—floorVDACS report

To The Rescue, Inc.

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
20241711760≥100.0%floorVDACS report
20232592606≥97.4%floorVDACS report
20212041976≥96.6%floorVDACS report

Training Rescue Dogs, Inc.

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
2023000—floorVDACS report

Vienna Animal Control (Town)

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
2025110≥100.0%floorVDACS report
2024110≥100.0%floorVDACS report
2023000—floorVDACS report
2022000—floorVDACS report
2021220≥100.0%floorVDACS report

Virginia German Shepherd Rescue, Inc.

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
20252922590≥100.0%floorVDACS report
20243653229≥95.0%floorVDACS report
20233032621≥97.4%floorVDACS report
20222562381≥99.2%floorVDACS report
20212051797≥92.7%floorVDACS report

Wolf Trap Animal Rescue

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
20259379234≥98.2%floorVDACS report
20248167920≥99.9%floorVDACS report
20231,0611,0645≥99.3%floorVDACS report
20229679952≥98.1%floorVDACS report
20211,3361,2702≥99.3%floorVDACS report

Worthy Dog Rescue, Inc.

YearDog intakeLive outcomesEuthanasiaLive-releaseBasisSource
202589910≥100.0%floorVDACS report
202499981≥99.0%floorVDACS report
20231111030≥97.2%floorVDACS report
20221121120≥98.2%floorVDACS report
20211571510≥100.0%floorVDACS report

Live-release rate = (adopted + returned to owner + transferred out) ÷ (live outcomes + non-owner euthanasia + died in care). Owner-requested euthanasia is excluded (Asilomar / Shelter Animals Count standard). Dogs only.

A demand-side county. Fairfax County takes in roughly 5.2 dogs per 1,000 residents — far below the rural rate of 20–70 — and places nearly all of them. That's the metro half of barkhood's thesis: well-resourced suburbs have adoption capacity to spare while under-resourced rural counties euthanize for lack of it. Counties like this one are where dogs from the strained counties can go. See the full DMV picture →

Methodology · the glass wall

What's measured

  • Dogs only. barkhood is a dog-handling service; cats and other species are out of scope.
  • Source: Virginia Dept. of Agriculture & Consumer Services (VDACS) Animal Custody Records, the mandatory state record — linked per row.
  • Completeness 19/29: 19/29 of the county’s reporting facilities filed in 2025; gaps are shown, not guessed.

Why this rate is honest

  • Euthanasia is merged — Virginia reports all euthanasia as one figure, so owner-requested (mercy) cases can’t be excluded. We publish the rate as a floor (≥), never overstating it.
  • Deaths are shown, not hidden — the denominator and the euthanasia figure are on the page.
  • Per-capita intake uses U.S. Census 2025 county population (1,167,873).