Friends of Shenandoah Co. Animal Shelter

09/12/2026

Hi all! I hope that you are all doing well during this odd weather, all day I felt like I had to duck the sky was so gloomy but given it was 9/11 it's understandable. A day like today doesn't warrant sunny skies and fluffy clouds, it deserves a calm reflective feel filled with awe and wonder, of respect and still some sadness. I remember that day like it was yesterday, being very pregnant with my peanut and the feeling of absolute terror and going outside again. I was in Mary Kay at the time and there was supposed to be a meeting that night, I was so afraid to leave the house, I could hardly breathe! My husband told me that if I didn't go I would never get over that horrible fear, so he took me and dropped me off. As I got out of the car I stood there listening to the utter silence of the night, there were no planes flying overhead, hardly any traffic it was so still, like the whole world was holding its breath.
There has never been a time that I have felt such loss, I didn't know anyone involved but we are Americans, we're ALL family.
Today I pay tribute to all those brave souls who left us that day and to all those who have subsumed to ailments and other junk since then. I celebrate all the young children who grew up missing a piece of themselves because their father never came home.
There was a horrible accident on I-81 last night in my hometown, there have been so many tragedies over these past 25 years, it's like we opened Pandor's Box and it was filled with misery and despair. I for one would love to find the lock for that one and throw away the key.
God Bless all of you and may you be surrounded with light and love. Please give your families and fur babies and extra squeeze and let them know that you appreciate them so much!
Blessings
Rachel

09/03/2026

Y'all it's been a total s*%$t show at my house this week. If it was tech of any kind it was beyond useless. I got a new phone, it's a Samsung S26...I DON'T LIKE IT AT ALL. for one thing it is smaller than the old a15 I had and these ol lady eyes can't see half the stuff on it. For days it didn't ring out loud... Yeah NOT too thrilled with it at all. Oh and then there was all the drama with the PC and Adobe not working right and wanting me to PAY for it to upgrade...I just deleted it all together. I am not paying for a PDF reader, anyway People have been trying to reach me on here and I had no clue with all this junk going on here. Oh and my mom fell again, she's okay just some bruises but her phone was in the other room...PLEASE tell your loved ones to keep their phone with them all the time. She could have gotten help a whole lot sooner if h er phone had been with her.
Hopefully everything is better now...HOPEFULLY!
I appreciate all of you for sticking it out with me, stay hydrated and keep those fur babies cool, summer isn't finished with us yet.
Blessings and Well Wishes,
Rachel

08/26/2026

Hey y'all are any of you playing the TREAT game on your devices?
I have, it is legit and they do send treats to the dogs you pick. I think it's a great idea and everyone should try it. It's hard not to fall in love with all the dogs though...😁😉

Send a message to learn more

08/24/2026

HEY EVERYBODY!!
Emilee has been caring for this sweet baby, she thinks she may be lost.
I'm trying to post pictures of her but it keeps getting lost somewhere in cyberspace.
I'll try again in a bit. She is an orange and white cat, she's really cute! Maybe someone out there knows where she bleongs.

[email protected].
She was found in the area of Tyler Drive in New Market and I believe is female. Very friendly and affectionate but seems she’s been outside a long time because she’s very skinny. It’s possible she has been missing quite some time.

08/24/2026

I want to remind folks that this page is not run by the shelter. I have been doing this for years now, there's been good times and bad but throughout all that WE SUPPORT OUR SHELTER.
There was a time when a sweet pup had cherry eyes and we banded together to get the shelter the funds to help fix the issue within 24 hours. That's why this page exists, to make folks aware of the needs of our shelter.
They have a Petfinder.com section for Shen, Co as well as being part of the Shenandoah County main page. I have tried to post pictures of the available animals in the past and it was difficult to keep up with doing this alone. They do a wonderful job with the resources they have available to them.
I just keep an ear out for things that they may need that aren't the typical stuff, like the pumpkin the other day.
I will look into creating a link directly to the resources they utilize so that folks can see who's up for adoption on a better monitored system.
I am happy to help when someone is missing their baby, or needs to re-home. We are a community of caring individuals brought together by a common hair...LOL be it dog, cat, rabbit, horse, goat, guineapig, whatever.
Supporting those who do the hard stuff is what it's all about.
If you have time to volunteer, foster or just make a donation all those things are the foundation of what we do here.
Drop in, say hi to the staff and give some sweet soul a bit of love that they may be missing today.
Check around the area because other shelters and rescues need support as well. Spay and Neuter is a great way to do your part in helping reduce the animal crisis. REMEMBER...ADOPT DON'T SHOP.
Maybe one day I will share with y'all how Peggy and the staff helped me with sensory therapy for my special needs son.
Many Blessings to all of you,
Rachel

08/24/2026

HEY Y'ALL!!
We have a neighbor who needs to re-home 6 geese. Anyone with access to water want to add to your feathered family?
DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT EATING THEM, send me a DM and I'll get you the details.

08/23/2026

Hey y'all I talked to Katrina from the shelter today and asked if they needed anything out of the ordinary, I figured she would say no but to my surprise she said, "Yeah we need pumpkin puree." I thought I was hearing her wrong but no that's what they need. If you plan to gift them some make sure it isn't loaded with sugar, it hides in EVERYTHING these days.
We agreed that gift cards to Tractor Supply, Wal-Mart, Rural King, and pet supply stores are ALWAYS WELCOMED.
I know it is hard to believe that we're winding down Summer but it's happening, still be mindful of the humidity and ground temps. Pavement still gets pretty warm and tender foot pads can easily sustain damage.
It was thundering here a bit ago so check on those outdoor fur-babes, buddy checks are just for co-workers.

You guys are so helpful when the shelter needs something, let's not forget the women, and men who tirelessly tend to our furry friends and bless them with some human treats. Let them know that they are appreciated for all they do.

Many Blessings to you all,
Rachel

Send a message to learn more

08/02/2026

HEY EVERYBODY!!
Hope you know how appreciated you are and that I am grateful for you hanging in with the page.
Stop by the shelter on Landfill Road in Edinburg and say hi to the crew! Maybe you can spend a few minutes with a lonely animal and give them some reassurance that finding a fur-ever home isn't just a pipe dream.
Much love and Blessings
Rachel

05/01/2026

Good advice

The best approach? None.
None at all.

I want a dog to feel safe.
Secure.
To understand, clearly, that I am no threat.

And the quickest way to do that?
Take the pressure right off.

No reaching. No leaning in and no stepping into their space.

Because the moment you move toward them, or bend down in an attempt to connect with them, you’ve already changed how it feels for them.

Dogs don’t need us to prove we’re friendly.
They need us to be non-threatening.

There’s a big difference.

And this isn’t just about them.
It’s about you too.

You may know nothing about this dog. That matters.

If you crouch down right in front of them, you’ve just put yourself in a compromised position.

Your centre of gravity is now off.
Your movement will then be slower.
Your ability to step away quickly is reduced.

If this dog reacts?
You’ve lost those crucial seconds and your face is right there directly in front of theirs.

So, try this instead

Turn your body.
Stay upright.
Give lots of space.

Let them decide if they want to come closer.

Because the clearest and best message you can send a dog is this:
I’m not here to pressure you.

04/03/2026

Have a great weekend y'all! Remember if you hide eggs keep track of whete ya put them, nobody wants a pet to munch on plastic, or rotten, eggs!