About Pets Bring Joy
Who we are ... what we believe in
Pets Bring Joy was launched as a 501(c)(3) non-profit animal rescue in March 2013
serving the Northern Virginia/DC/Maryland community.
As of January 19, 2026, PBJ has helped 4,396 deserving animals
find their forever homes.
We have touched the lives of THOUSANDS of our fellow community members
by bringing them joy through animal companionship.
Bradlick Shopping Center Starbucks employees help rescue kittens [Photo:Juli Verrier]
Our Mission
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To reduce the at-risk homeless animal population by taking in animals as fosters
from overcrowded shelters, animals who are found as strays within our community, or animals who must be
surrendered by owners when hardship overcomes them;
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To make the healing therapy of animal companionship available to everyone in our community, whether through adoption, fostering, or volunteering to care for our animals at PBJ's adoption venues.
We accomplish this by:
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Running a thoughtful and inclusive adoption program to ensure that each animal in our care
finds a loving forever home;
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Educating the public on the importance of spay/neuter and keeping pet cats safely indoors;
the plight of community cats and the crisis that continues to build; and humane treatment of
animals overall;
❤
Mentoring youth, instilling in them love for animals and passion for community service, so that they
may serve as our next generation of rescuers, non-profit entrepreneurs, volunteers, and philanthropists;
❤
Actively encouraging the placement and support of companion animals with senior citizens;
❤
Working closely with our TNR colleagues and the community at large by providing them with a pathway
for getting adoptable community cats and kittens off the streets and into loving homes;
❤
Encouraging collaboration within the rescue community so that our collective impact on reducing
the homeless animal population is greater than any of us could achieve individually.
Welcome,
Everyone!
We believe that everyone in our community deserves the opportunity to experience joy from animal companionship, whether by adopting a new family member, welcoming a foster into your home, or communing with our kitties as a volunteer. We welcome everyone in our community to help us play a role in rescue!
We are Passionate About
Mentoring Youth
We are passionate about mentoring youth, to instill a love for animals and commitment to community service, for they are our next generation of volunteers, non-profit entrepreneurs, and philanthropists.
We Have a Soft Spot for Animals
Who Need Us the Most
We have a particularly soft spot for rescuing older animals and animals with treatable medical conditions from shelters, who are often passed over for younger, healthier pets.
Community Cat
Support
We encourage collaboration within the local rescue community so that our combined rescue efforts have a greater impact on reducing the homeless animal population than any one rescue organization might achieve single-handedly.
We Have a Fabulous Team
We have built a dedicated team of over 100 volunteers and five part-time staff who work tirelessly seven days a week to keep our mission thriving in a variety of ways, from fostering, to working adoption events, to caring for cats at our adoption venues, to transporting. Non-profits thrive on volunteer power ... many thanks to EVERYONE on our team for enablng PBJ to accomplish great deeds!
Our Yearly Adoption Stats
This graph shows PBJ's yearly adoption statistics since inception in 2013.
The gold bars represent the cumulative total of adoptions starting in 2013 through December 2025.
The blue bars represent our individual year adoption totals.