Dogs Deserve Better (2026)

26/05/2026

✨❤️IVY IS HOME!!❤️✨

From the backseat ride with her new bestie to full on couch cuddles with dad, Ivy has wasted absolutely no time claiming every single member of her forever family as her own.

This girl has nanny dog instincts in full effect. She's been glued to her little girl's side- sprawled out on the rug together, snuggled up on the sofa while she colors, and basically never more than a paw's reach away,

Pure gentleness🥰

And it doesn't stop there. Mom's getting kisses in the kitchen and dad? Well, Ivy decided the recliner fits two just fine!

To anyone who has ever believed the myths about pit bull breeds- look at these photos. This is who they are. Sweet, devoted and caring.

Ivy, we are so proud of you, sweet girl. You deserve every bit of this love.

Three cheers for Ivy and her new Dogs Deserve Better Blue Ridge family!

Hip Hip Hooray!
Hip Hip Hooray!
HIP HIP HOORAY!

23/05/2026

🎉 THIS IS A BIG DEAL! 🎉

Our longest stay pup — nearly 2 years with us — has finally been adopted…

CHUBBS, WE COULDN’T BE HAPPIER FOR YOU. 💛🐾

Chubbs came to us after being born into an accidental litter and spent the first 6 months of his life living in a small pen with all of his siblings. Because of that, it’s no surprise that the world felt big and scary to him.

He spent a long time in boarding while we searched for the right foster — not just any home, but the one that could truly see him and help him grow. When that home finally came along, we knew things were about to change.

Chubbs needed a special person to bring out the best in him… and that’s exactly what he got.
And now? He gets that person forever.

Vanessa — we cannot thank you enough for the care, patience, and dedication you’ve given Chubbs. We know it wasn’t always easy, but you never gave up on him. You brought out the dog we always knew was in there.

There is nothing better than knowing he doesn’t have to start over — that he gets to spend the rest of his life with the person he trusts most.

This one means everything. 💛

22/05/2026

Today we were able to get two more community cats in the city of Staunton VA spayed with Mobile Vet Solutions 🙌

A huge thank you to an amazing Staunton community member, Heather, who has been tirelessly working to help the local community cats, and to Cat's Cradle for graciously allowing us to fit two female community cats into their spay/neuter clinic today.

Every spay and neuter makes a difference in a community already overwhelmed with outdoor cats, helping prevent even more unwanted homeless litters in the future.

21/05/2026

💛 Sometimes everything just falls into place. 💛

And for Lacy… it truly did.

If you’ve been following along, you know Lacy came into Dogs Deserve Better Blue Ridge’s program with a severely broken jaw — something she had been living with for far too long. She needed immediate, major medical intervention.

At first, things felt uncertain. We were calling specialists and surgeons, only to hear the same thing over and over — consults weren’t available until June or July, and surgery would be even further out.

And then… everything changed.

We called Virginia Veterinary Centers Short Pump at just the right time and were able to get Lacy in for an immediate consult. Then, in what can only be described as incredible timing, a surgery cancellation opened up — and Lacy was able to have her procedure scheduled just days later.

The cost of her care was a concern, but once again, this community showed up. 💛

An anonymous donor stepped forward to cover the majority of her surgery, and so many others contributed what they could. Because of that, we only needed to cover less than $1,000 of her total cost.

Lacy’s surgery was a success. She recovered beautifully and went to a medical foster — a retired vet tech who gave her exactly the care she needed.

And now, the best part…

Lacy’s foster officially adopted her. 💛🐾

She knew from the start that Lacy would be a special needs dog, and still felt called to give her the love, patience, and lifelong care she deserves.

From pain and uncertainty… to safety, healing, and a forever home.

Sometimes, it really does all come together. 💛

16/05/2026

Page county Felony animal cruelty case update: The link below has an article with details from yesterdays court proceedings. We were in the courtroom over 2 hours. We are happy the judge certified this case to a grand jury.

On February 1st a female blue tick hound named Phoenix was found deceased on a short chain to a plastic doghouse without straw bedding or a windbreak. The temperature was 19 degrees with solid ice and snow on the ground.

The other 4 surviving dogs were also living on short chains without adequate dog houses. One of those dogs was Dogs Deserve Better Blue Ridge’s sweet old man in the photos below, Morty. He is a senior blind dog who came to us with a laundry list of medical challenges. Morty is feeling much better now after veterinary care. It’s hard to believe with his age & medical condition he survived being left on a chain in such brutal cold weather. He’s a tough little old man.

We will continue to show up as this case moves forward. We are demanding justice for Phoenix and the 4 survivors.

Next step: June 3rd 1:30. Grand Jury to determine there is enough probable cause to certify the charges.

https://www.whsv.com/2026/05/14/page-county-animal-abuse-case-certified-grand-jury

13/05/2026

🎉 VERY BIG, VERY EXCITING NEWS! 🎉

Just before his one-year intake anniversary… JET IS ADOPTED! 🐾

Jet came to Dogs Deserve Better Blue Ridge from a heartbreaking hoarding situation in Patrick County, where he was seized alongside nearly 50 other dogs. He had been living in a tiny pen with no door — no way in, no way out. The pen had actually sunken into the ground, and we had to dig him out to get him free.

And yet… Jet came out of that pen as happy as could be. From day one, he was just grateful — soaking up love, attention, and of course, treats.

Jet went straight into foster, where he waited… and waited. He showed up to adoption events, where everyone admired his big ears and sweet personality. He even rolled up in style in his foster mom’s motorcycle sidecar — because yes, he’s that cool.

But still, no application

Until one day, we got a message asking if he’d be at our adoption event at Cave Hill Brewery… and from there, everything fell into place.

Now, Jet is living his best life in a big farmhouse, with two human siblings, a big yard to run in, and all the love he deserves.

His story is incredible, and we are so grateful he finally found his way home. 💛🐾

13/05/2026

Update: Page County Felony Animal Cruelty Case (court details in photos below)

Tomorrow at 1:00 PM at the Page County Courthouse, there will be a court hearing for the two individuals charged in connection with the death of a female dog named Phoenix this past winter. The address is 116 S Court St, Luray.

Phoenix was found deceased at the end of a chain during extreme freezing temperatures. Four other dogs were also seized from the property that night.
Pictured below are the dogs rescued from the same property, all of whom were found living outdoors in those dangerous conditions. We’re grateful to share that all four are now safe, loved, and thriving with their respective rescue organizations:

• Morty — Dogs Deserve Better Blue Ridge
• Auggie & Zippy — Homeless Animals Rescue Team (HART)
• Dudley — Roanoke Valley SPCA

Tomorrow, we will be there to honor Phoenix’s life and advocate for justice in her death.
It is important that we continue bringing attention to cases like this and to the ongoing plight of chained outdoor dogs in Virginia. We also hope to raise awareness about the existing animal welfare laws and encourage law enforcement agencies and courts across the state to fully enforce the protections advocates have fought so hard to pass.

We are deeply grateful to Page County Animal Control and the Commonwealth’s Attorneys involved in this case. Their professionalism, dedication, and hard work have not gone unnoticed and are sincerely appreciated.

09/05/2026

🚨 MATCH UPDATE — WE’RE ALMOST HALFWAY THERE! 🚨

Because of YOU, we’re already close to halfway to our $10,000 goal for our spay & neuter match. 💛

That means so many more pets are one step closer to getting the care they need — but we’re not done yet.

🗓 Through the end of May, every dollar is still DOUBLED.
Donate $25 → becomes $50.
No amount is too small — it all adds up.

Now is the time to make your donation go further. Since June 2025, we’ve helped 412 animals receive spay/neuter services and rabies vaccines through our clinics with Mobile Vet Solutions.

This work matters — not just for those animals, but for the entire community and especially our local shelter system.

Each clinic costs around $6,000, and this match is helping us get closer to funding even more clinics — reaching more families and preventing future litters before they happen.

👉 We need another push to get across the finish line.

💛 Donate. Share. Help us get there.

🐾 Ways to Give:
💻 Campaign link: https://tinyurl.com/spayneutercampaign
📱 Venmo:
💸 PayPal: paypal.me/ddbbr
📬 Mail: 1155 Seminole Trail #7961, Charlottesville VA 22906
⚫ Use the Facebook donate button!

Every donation still goes twice as far — but only through May.

Let’s finish this together. 💛🐾

08/05/2026

Sweet Lacy is a precious 6 lb miniature poodle who recently came into our care in heartbreaking condition. Initially, we were told she had suffered a broken jaw — but after learning more about her history and meeting with a specialist today, we now understand just how severe her situation is.

Lacy originally broke her jaw in August of last year. Sadly, her previous owners were unable to afford the recommended treatment at the time and were advised to keep a soft muzzle on her 24/7 in hopes that the fractures would stabilize and heal on their own.

During yesterday’s surgical consultation, we learned that Lacy’s jaw is actually broken in THREE separate places — two fractures at the front of her lower jaw and one toward the back left side. Because of the fractures in the front, the tip of her lower jaw is currently unstable and essentially “floating,” which is why her mouth remains partially open. To make matters worse, Lacy is also suffering from severe dental disease, which has further weakened the bone and contributed to the instability in her jaw.

After a thorough evaluation, the specialist has recommended a mandibulectomy, a surgery that will remove the damaged front portion of her jaw. This will eliminate the unstable bone fragment and dramatically improve her comfort and quality of life. During the procedure, the surgical team will also reconstruct the area using surrounding tissue to create a functional closure.

Due to the severity of her dental disease, all of her remaining teeth will also need to be removed. Because of the risk of causing additional fractures during extractions, this procedure must be performed by an experienced specialist. Thankfully, this surgical team has the expertise and equipment needed to do this as safely as possible. The remaining fracture on the back left side of her jaw will be further evaluated during surgery using CT imaging and additional scans that are included in the estimate. There is hope that this fracture may already be healing on its own and may not require additional repair.

The encouraging news is that despite everything she has endured, Lacy’s bloodwork looks excellent, and her surgeon feels she is a good candidate for anesthesia and surgery.

We were incredibly fortunate to secure a surgical date for Monday, May 11th, thanks to a last-minute cancellation. Most other specialty hospitals were scheduling into August, which would have meant months more of pain and discomfort for this tiny girl.

The estimated cost for Lacy’s care is between $3,100–$4,700, depending on the length of surgery and whether additional repair is needed for the remaining fracture.

Her surgeon, Dr. Babbitt, came highly recommended by multiple veterinary specialists, and we truly believe Lacy is in the best possible hands.

We’ve attached photos of the estimate from today’s consultation.

If you’re interested in donating directly to Lacy’s care, you can use this link 🔗 https://dogsdeservebetter.networkforgood.com/projects/300530-repair-lacy-s-broken-jaw

Thank you to everyone who has supported Lacy so far — your kindness is giving this little girl a chance at comfort, healing, and a life free from pain. ❤️

Dogs Deserve Better

26/05/2026

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21/05/2026

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