Norfolk, VA animal shelter length of stay
Dogs at this shelter had a median stay of 4 days and cats 3 days. 8.0% of dogs and 12.5% of cats stayed longer than 30 days. Figures come from 52,234 completed stays in the city's or county's public open data, intakes 2015-01 to the most recent intake with full follow-up.
Dogs
4 days
median · 90th percentile 25 days · 24,887 stays
Cats
3 days
median · 90th percentile 37 days · 27,347 stays
Trends
Years are by intake date. The most recent months are left out until animals have had at least 180 days to reach an outcome, so long stays aren't cut off.
Seasonality
When animals arrive shapes how full the kennels get. The bars show average completed stays by intake month in full calendar years; the line shows how stay length moves with the season.
Dogs: length of stay by group
By age at intake
| Age | Stays | Median days | 90th pct days | Mean days | % over 30 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 to 6 months | 1,475 | 5 | 17 | 7.6 | 3.4% |
| 1 to 3 years | 8,402 | 6 | 29 | 13.3 | 9.2% |
| 3 to 7 years | 6,142 | 4 | 26 | 11.6 | 8.0% |
| 7 years and older | 3,691 | 2 | 20 | 9.0 | 5.6% |
By size
Not available in this dataset.
By breed group
| Breed group | Stays | Median days | 90th pct days | Mean days | % over 30 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pit bull type | 9,191 | 6 | 33 | 14.7 | 11.4% |
| Guardian / mastiff type | 1,750 | 4 | 27 | 13.2 | 8.5% |
| Hound | 2,285 | 4 | 18 | 8.9 | 4.5% |
| Other / mixed | 2,296 | 4 | 35 | 16.1 | 11.4% |
| Terrier (other) | 486 | 4 | 20.5 | 13.6 | 6.8% |
| Retriever / sporting | 2,472 | 3 | 20 | 8.9 | 5.6% |
| Shepherd / herding | 939 | 3 | 27 | 14.1 | 8.6% |
| Small / toy | 4,391 | 3 | 15 | 7.7 | 3.1% |
| Husky / spitz | 1,077 | 2 | 16 | 9.2 | 4.9% |
By intake type
| Intake type | Stays | Median days | 90th pct days | Mean days | % over 30 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner surrender | 5,575 | 6 | 28 | 14.0 | 9.3% |
| Return from foster | 2,433 | 0 | 6 | 2.8 | 1.7% |
| Returned adoption | 563 | 3 | 18 | 7.6 | 3.0% |
| Seized / custody / hold | 3,731 | 7 | 51 | 20.7 | 16.2% |
| Stray | 12,217 | 4 | 22 | 10.6 | 6.3% |
| Transfer in | 348 | 6 | 35 | 14.3 | 13.8% |
Cats: length of stay by group
By age at intake
| Age | Stays | Median days | 90th pct days | Mean days | % over 30 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 to 6 months | 3,847 | 3 | 25 | 8.7 | 6.8% |
| 1 to 3 years | 4,962 | 6 | 40 | 14.9 | 15.4% |
| 3 to 7 years | 2,536 | 9 | 50 | 18.1 | 19.9% |
| 7 years and older | 1,191 | 8 | 43 | 15.8 | 15.5% |
By intake type
| Intake type | Stays | Median days | 90th pct days | Mean days | % over 30 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Owner surrender | 5,056 | 9 | 49 | 19.5 | 19.4% |
| Return from foster | 6,772 | 1 | 11 | 4.4 | 2.8% |
| Returned adoption | 311 | 7 | 35 | 13.9 | 13.2% |
| Seized / custody / hold | 1,012 | 12 | 76 | 28.5 | 26.3% |
| Stray | 13,437 | 3 | 41 | 15.0 | 13.7% |
| Transfer in | 749 | 3 | 44 | 14.9 | 14.8% |
By condition at intake
| Condition | Stays | Median days | 90th pct days | Mean days | % over 30 days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other / unknown | 27,347 | 3 | 37 | 13.7 | 12.5% |
Outcomes
Every recorded outcome type, as the shelter reports it, grouped into standard categories.
About this data
- Source: Norfolk Animal Care and Adoption Center (NACC), published by City of Norfolk. License or terms: Published as public open data; no license specified on portal. Source last updated Apr 6, 2026.
- Fields available here: age, breed group, color, sex. Groups with fewer than 50 stays are hidden.
- Each shelter records intake types, conditions and outcomes its own way, so compare categories across shelters with care. Shelter Insights is not affiliated with this shelter.
Other shelters: Austin, TX · Dallas, TX · Long Beach, CA · Louisville, KY · Montgomery County, MD · San Jose, CA · Sonoma County, CA. See also the interactive benchmarks, capacity for care and our guides.