We help create families


SPCA of Northern Nevada is a non-profit organization supported by individual donations, program fees, thrift store proceeds, foundation grants, and special events. We are not affiliated with any other SPCA, nor do we receive funding from the ASPCA or any government entities. What you give matters!

Ways to Give

“We truly believe there is a person for every animal.”

– Jill Vacchina Dobbs, Executive Director SPCA of Northern Nevada

Our Animal Welfare Coalition

SPCA of Northern Nevada’s top priority is helping pets in need. 

We are, and will continue to be, a strong advocate for animal welfare in our community and beyond. We believe that maintaining the highest standards and best practices in managing our clinic and Adoption Center are critically important, and we strive to achieve that goal every day. We are a wholly independent organization. We are not directly affiliated with any other SPCA, the national ASPCA, nor any other animal welfare organizations. Please explore our website for more information on our adoptions and community programs. You can also learn more about us on Guidestar.com.

We are part of a robust northern Nevada animal welfare coalition for the benefit of pets in need. Our coalition believes in the highest standards in animal welfare. Northern Nevada shelter coalition members currently include: SPCA-NNWCRASCRCCS, Pet Network, and HSTT. If you’re a regional shelter/rescue needs help, then please contact us directly to arrange a transfer of pets to our Adoption Center: admissions@spcanevada.com. Priority is given to northern Nevada organizations at or over capacity.

Please understand that we are unable to comment directly on the operations of other organizations. Please send all such questions directly to the organization you’re interested in learning more about. Please direct all SPCA-NN related questions directly to our organization: info@spcanevada.org.

We welcome your questions and enjoy the opportunity to continue improving our communication and transparency! We ask that you please keep your comments kind. We are hardworking, trained, professional humans who dedicate our lives to helping pets, and pet lovers, in need. We have feelings and our work is difficult and highly emotional. Please respect us as we certainly respect you. We assure you we wake up every day determined to serve our pets and incredible community!

Community Impact Report

We continually collaborate with our community to make positive impacts beyond our adoption center walls.

1,487

pets saved

98%

live release rate

3,914

total pets fixed

11,236

pets vaccinated

History

In 1997, a small group of volunteers, motivated by the unnecessary deaths of thousands of adoptable pets in our local shelters, decided that Washoe County was in need of a new type of animal rescue facility — a facility dedicated to giving the dogs and cats at our municipal animal control shelter a second chance at life before their time ran out.

Originally founded as the “Reno SPCA,” this new charitable organization began its work by taking dogs and cats from the Reno Animal Services shelter to off-site adoption locations every weekend, successfully placing over 700 pets in new homes during that first year.

Volunteer founded in 1998 to save at-risk homeless pets, SPCA of Northern Nevada has grown to also provide affordable community programs to help keep pets healthy and in their loving homes.

Our top priority is helping pets in need. We maintain high standards and follow best practices in managing our clinic and adoption center with highly-trained, caring staff and volunteers led by a passionate volunteer board of directors. We are an independent, local adoption center that does not receive funding from the government or the ASPCA, nor are affiliated with other SPCAs.

We partner with a robust northern Nevada animal welfare coalition to improve the lives of pets right here in our community.

The SPCA moved into the Stanley James Walker Pet Care & Adoption Center located at 4950 Spectrum Blvd in June, 2011.

Are you a "no kill" shelter?

The answer is YES. We will place every healthy or treatable and safe pet. Period.

Most importantly, we are pro-pet and people! We offer daily enrichment to our animals, use training partnerships and behavior modification training when needed to get them ready for adoption, and work our tails off to quickly find them loving homes.

We are dedicated to humane treatment of pets in our care even when that means making appropriate, humane euthanasia decisions. If they’re suffering, or a danger to our community, then we lovingly guide them over the rainbow bridge.

Let’s remember that compassionate, humane euthanasia is a gift, and every decision must consider the welfare of the individual animal. SPCA-NN will only humanely euthanize for poor medical prognosis or if the animal is too dangerous to place. Our team is highly trained and we work closely with a nationally-renowned, certified shelter animal behaviorist.

Like most catch phrases, the term “no kill” has  limitations. For a more in-depth look at current issues in the U.S. shelter overpopulation movement, click on the button below!

Learn more

Board of Directors


A volunteer board of directors governs our 501(c)(3) Nevada nonprofit organization. It oversees an annual operating budget of approximately $5 million (2023). Our board is committed to leading our organization and shares in our mission to create families, and in our vision to save and improve lives.

Meet the board

Staff Leadership


Our executive and front-line teams work tirelessly to create families, and sustain our vision to save and improve lives. We are dedicated to teaching staff sheltering best practices, and engaging in professional development to benefit our animals.

Meet the team