The Treasure Hound: A Pets Goodwill
Virginia's Treasure Hound accepts and sells a trove of donated goods, benefiting a local animal shelter
Roughly two decades ago, Gloria Fyfe responded to an ad in her local paper looking for volunteers at the nearby animal shelter. “I just love animals,” she says, admitting that until that point she had only ever had cats in her home.
But walking the shelter dogs as a volunteer at Friends of Homeless Animals (FOHA) in Loudon County, Va., turned Fyfe into a cat and dog person. It also set her on her present course — post-retirement, full-time volunteer work at what is essentially a pets-focused Goodwill. Fyfe serves as both treasurer of the nonprofit shelter FOHA and as store manager of its Goodwill-esque thrift shop.
“The Treasure Hound is an upscale resale shop,” Fyfe says. “Everything here in the shop is donated, and all the proceeds go to the shelter.” The Treasure Hound, which first opened approximately eight years ago in Middleburg, moved to its present location in Chantilly in 2010. It’s become a critical part of FOHA’s funding. “I don’t really like to give out figures, but yes, it contributes substantially to the cost of the shelter,” she says.
FOHA itself was established in 1973 by a local judge, the late Anne Lewis, after learning that there were no shelters in the area that adhered to a strict no-kill policy. Though it’s not alone in that regard today, the no-kill FOHA still regularly rescues animals from other shelters at risk of being euthanized. And while animal cruelty and abandonment may not be quite as common or rampant in the general public today either, Fyfe notes that “there’s always a need for the shelter.”
In recent years, FOHA has taken in a lot of cats and dogs whose owners could no longer afford to care for them after losing their jobs. One aspect of FOHA’s work involves educational programs “to make people aware and make the kids aware” of all the responsibilities and obligations of pet adoption. And a home visit is required before FOHA allows anyone to adopt a pet in the organization’s care, “to make sure that they go to their forever homes.”
Potential adopters can see pets that are available through FOHA’s website, and from there can arrange a visit. Sometimes the organization even has adoption events in its Treasure Hound store. Naturally pets are welcome to shop in the store too. “We do have pet supplies in our upstairs Loft area,” Fyfe says. “We don’t sell pet food, though.” In fact, the closest thing to food you’ll ever find at the store is See’s Candies, which is only sold over the holidays as an added fundraising effort.
Though there are certainly items they don’t accept — some electronics and kids’ things, mattresses, cars — “you can donate and find all kinds of things at Treasure Hound.” And as a nonprofit, donations, accepted every day until 5 p.m., are tax-deductible. The store is always eager for more volunteers — as well as paid cashiers — to help, especially on the busiest day of the week, Saturday. “That’s when everybody either has a yard sale or cleans out their closet,” Fyfe says.
The Treasure Hound is happy to accept most items you might remove from your closets — and just as happy to sell you anything afterwards. “Of course, to replace those things you just donated,” Fyfe teases.
The Treasure Hound is at 14508 Lee Road, Unit D, in Chantilly, Va. Call 703-263-9073 or visit fohatreasurehound.com.
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