Records Broken by LRAV in 2015

346 + 243 + 436 + 1,636 = A record-smashing year at the Little Rock Animal Village!

What do those numbers mean? The short version: 2,661 lives saved. The long version? Well…

To begin, in 2015 the Village took in 346 animals that were reclaimed by their owners. We believe this number can be greatly improved, so Friends of the Animal Village is doubling down next year on our efforts to increase awareness about the Animal Village, as well as to microchip pets in our community. If you lose or find a pet and aren’t certain what to do, please don’t hesitate to contact us for advice. There are also some handy guides on the “Resources & Articles” page of our website.

243 animals from the Little Rock Animal Village were transferred to rescue organizations and humane societies this year. Animals from the Village were sent to organizations and families as far away as Colorado, and as nearby as homes and programs in Little Rock. One highlight was in September, when LRAV teamed up with Pilots N Paws to fly two german shepherds to Serendipity German Shepherd Dog Rescue in Missouri. The two dogs came to the Village in July in devastatingly poor health, one of them in the midst of a near-fatal heat stroke. LRAV brought these pups back from the brink and, once they were healthy, found them a home at SGSDR. The Village’s relationship with the Humane Society of Pulaski County is another factor here. HSPC began pulling animals from the shelter on a monthly basis, and we are truly grateful for their assistance this year. Last Chance Arkansas also pulled several animals from LRAV in 2015, many of which were placed in one of our favorite local programs, Paws in Prison.

Next up, not only did 436 dogs take a ride on the PetSmart Charities Rescue Waggin’ this year, but LRAV celebrated a milestone with this particular rescue partner in 2015. In June, the Village sent its two thousandth dog on the Waggin’! This is a huge accomplishment, especially considering LRAV has only been a participant of the program since 2011. Rescue Waggin’ is a key piece of the puzzle when it comes to perpetuating the overall life-saving mission of LRAV.

Finally, the crème de la crème: 1,636. This is the number of pets who were adopted from the Little Rock Animal Village in 2015—the number of pets who were given a second chance at the good life they deserve by folks right here in Central Arkansas. Of those 1,636 animals, 841 of them were cats. This smashes the previous record for number of cats adopted from LRAV in one year. One very dedicated volunteer at the Village made it her personal goal to increase the number of feline rescues this year, so FAV upped its social media-ante this year with content focused on getting cats adopted, and we think the numbers indicate it’s working… all thanks to you! You who have liked, commented on, and shared our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter posts over the last year, as well as those of you who have spread awareness outside of social media. So much of what has been accomplished this year would not have been possible without you.

If your pet is one of the 1,636 animals that were adopted in 2015, please send us a picture of them. We would like to create a photo album with as many of #The1636 as possible! You can send your photos to FriendsoftheAnimalVillage@gmail.com.

And there you have it. 2,661… Two-thousand six-hundred and sixty-one… The total number of lives saved in 2015 by the Little Rock Animal Village. They have once again surpassed their (former) best year, setting a new standard in advocacy for Central Arkansas’ adoptable animals. This number is truly music to our ears!

Thank you for your support, without which this record-breaking year would not have been possible. We’re looking forward to breaking all of these records again, and then some, in 2016.