Old Dominion Humane Society Founder Chrissy Hamilton Receives Prestigious Award From Richmond Animal Care And Control
- Lenora Kruk - Mullanaphy
- Jan 21
- 3 min read
Richmond Animal Care and Control (RACC) presented Old Dominion Humane Society (ODHS) Founder Chrissy Hamilton with its “Heart of Lifesaving Award” during a ceremony at the Richmond Police Academy on January 15. The prestigious award recognizes Hamilton for her “time, compassion and commitment in helping RACC animals on their journey to safety and second chances.” A nonprofit, volunteer-led organization, ODHS transported nearly 200 dogs from RACC to Fredericksburg in 2025, which marks the most canines pulled from RACC out of all rescue organizations. In 2024, ODHS brought 208 dogs from RACC to ODHS.
“ODHS is proud to work with RACC to rescue, care for and find homes for dogs that deserve loving families,” said Hamilton. “Our organizations focus on helping to rescue dogs in many situations, including cruelty, hoarding and neglect cases. Through our shared goals of providing a second chance at a good life for these animals, our organizations have been able to save hundreds of dogs each year.”
Hamilton said it’s because of the volunteers and fosters at ODHS that the rescue facility is able to help the dogs. They dedicate hours to transporting dogs to ODHS, helping with the many tasks at the facility and providing temporary, loving homes to the canines.
RACC was established as the first city pound in 1902. It has served as the only open-admission public animal shelter in the City of Richmond, providing humane care for more than 3,000 stray, sick, injured and relinquished pets each year.
The nonprofit Richmond Animal Care and Control Foundation (RACCF) created the “Tommie Fund” to assist with costs of emergency medical care for animals in need at municipal animal shelters and public animal control agencies throughout Virginia. The “Tommie Fund” memorializes a sweet brindle Pit Bull mix named Tommie. Horrifically, Tommie had been doused with lighter fluid, tied to a fence and set on fire in 2019. RACC used all of its resources and efforts to save the dog, and his story spread across the globe, resulting in donations, support and love. In spite of all efforts to save him, Tommie perished—but his memory lives on. A license plate with a picture of Tommie and a tag, #teamtommie, was created. As a revenue-sharing plate, after the sale of the first 1,000 qualifying plates, $15 of the $25 fee is transferred to RACCF and used to support its operation and programs in Virginia.
“Tommie’s case is so very important, because it was what really pushed for legislation and made animal cruelty a felony,” said Hamilton. “Because of Tommie and all of the dogs that are mistreated and neglected, it’s organizations like ODHS and RACC that exist to protect and save them.”
Tommie’s Law makes animal cruelty toward cats and dogs a felony. Signed into law by Virginia Governor Ralph Northam in 2019, the legislation states that anyone who “tortures, willfully inflicts inhumane injury or pain,” or “cruelly and unnecessarily beats, maims or mutilates any dog or cat” can be found guilty of a Class-6 felony, which is punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $2,500. (Prior to the law, an animal had to die from its injuries for the abuse to be deemed a felony.)
