Charlottesville animal shelter faces laundry struggle, community steps up

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - An unexpected impact of the changing temperatures has left animals at Charlottesville-Albemarle’s SPCA without the blankets and towels they use every day.

“We’re kind of starting from square one, as they say, and we really just need help to restock our reserves of those,” said CASPCA communications manager Sierra Stevens.

On an average day, Stevens said CASPCA runs between 20 and 30 loads of laundry to replenish its stocks of blankets, towels, and beds used by the pets housed there.

However, weather-induced plumbing failure brought all of that to a halt, causing the shelter to dispose of most of its supply. Left with no other options, Stevens said the team turned to the community, asking for donations.

Less than 24 hours later, the shelter’s lobby was filled with bags of donated towels and blankets.

“We really asked our community to help us out and bring us any clean but unwanted towels, sheets, blankets and things like that for the dogs especially,” Stevens said.

Stevens said the donations have been a big help to the shelter.

“We’ve had people message us and say they’re taking a trip to the store, and they’re buying 20, 25 blankets at a time, and we’ve really been so, so appreciative,” Stevens said.

Stevens said above all, the help has been a huge help to the animals who call CASPCA home.

“The animals are so appreciative, especially with this gloomy weather. They’re super happy to have kind of a blanket or towel to cozy up with,” Stevens said.

Stevens said the shelter is grateful for the donations but is still in need of more. Clean blankets, towels, and sheets may be dropped off at the CASPCA lobby during open hours.

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