Adopt / Foster / Surrender
Adoption
Why Adopt?
Adopting a pet is one of the most rewarding decisions you can make. When you choose adoption, you’re not only giving an animal a second chance at life, but you're also helping reduce the number of homeless pets in shelters. Adoption means you’re providing a loving, permanent home for a pet in need, whether it's a playful puppy, a friendly adult, or a senior seeking comfort. It’s an opportunity to make a real difference in an animal’s life while gaining a loyal companion who will offer unconditional love and companionship for years to come. Plus, adoption supports a responsible and compassionate approach to pet ownership, ensuring that every animal has a chance to thrive.
Our Adoption Program
At the Appalachian Animal Rescue Center, we believe in offering a stress-free and supportive adoption process, ensuring that both the animal and adopter feel comfortable and confident in their new journey together. To adopt, you must be 21 years of age or older, and we require payment along with a valid driver's license to complete the adoption. Our adoption fees are $75 for pets over a year old and $100 for pets under a year. This fee covers the essential services to ensure your new companion’s well-being, including spaying or neutering, microchipping, a rabies vaccine, and all necessary vaccinations for the first year. We want to ensure that your home is the perfect fit for the animal, so if you already have pets, we highly encourage you to bring them along for a meet-and-greet to ensure everyone gets along. Our goal is to create lasting, loving bonds between families and their new furry friends!
Pets Ready for Their Forever Home
These lovable animals are waiting for their forever homes! Each one has their own unique personality, story, and endless love to give. Browse through their profiles to find your perfect companion, and let us help you start your adoption journey today. Together, we can give these deserving pets the second chance they deserve.
Become a Foster Parent
Our Foster Program is a vital part of our mission to save and care for animals in need. To become a foster with us, you’ll need to complete the Foster Questionnaire. Once approved, you can choose the animal you would like to foster. Fostering periods are typically limited to six months. As a foster parent, you’ll be asked to bring the animal(s) to adoption events, helping them get closer to finding their forever home. You’re also welcome to share photos, information, and videos of your foster animal on your social media to help promote their adoption. During the foster period, we provide veterinary care as needed to ensure the health and well-being of the animal. If your foster animal is adopted, the new family will come to the shelter to finalize the adoption process. Fosters are required to provide weekly updates to the shelter manager on the animal’s progress. Your dedication helps give these animals the loving care they need to thrive while waiting for their forever family.
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To get started, please fill out our questionnaire form online or download and print the form below.
Surrendering Animals
Appalachian Animal Rescue Center is a closed-intake facility. If you are needing to surrender an animal, please contact the shelter first; the shelter has a certain capacity they cannot go above. There is no cost to surrender an animal. Please make sure to research all animal rescues in the surrounding areas:
Rabun Paws4Life (Clayton, GA)
Highlands-Cashiers Humane Society (Cashiers, NC)
ARF (Sylva, NC)
P.A.W.S Animal Shelter (Bryson City, NC)
Catman2 (Sylva, NC)
Sarge’s Animal Rescue Foundation, INC (Waynesville, NC)
Valley River Humane Society (Marble, NC)
Trial Home Placements
We offer a Trial Home Placement for potential adopters, allowing you to bring the animal(s) home for 10 days at no cost to ensure it's the perfect fit for your family. During this trial period, you can get to know the animal in a home environment. If it’s a successful match, the adopter will return to the shelter to complete the adoption contract and make the payment. If it doesn’t work out, simply bring the animal(s) back to the shelter with no obligation. This allows both the animal and adopter to find the right home, ensuring a lasting, happy relationship.
Spay/Neuter
We offer affordable spay/neuter services in partnership with the ASPCA in Asheville, NC. The animal(s) will be transported from the Appalachian Animal Rescue Center to the ASPCA, where they will stay overnight and return the following day after their procedure. The cost for spay/neuter remains the same regardless of size, sex, or age. To schedule an appointment, we require prepayment. Please visit the shelter to complete the necessary paperwork and make your payment. This service helps ensure that pets are responsibly cared for while keeping costs low for the community.
Service | Price |
|---|---|
Feral Cat Package | $25.00 |
Cat Total Package | $85.00 |
Dog Total Package | $95.00 |
Microchip | $15.00 |
FVRCP | $10.00 |
Nail Trim | $0.00 |
Ivermectin (Dewormer) | $0.00 |
Bordetella Vaccine | $10.00 |
Parvo/Distemper Vaccine | $10.00 |
Rabies Vaccine | $10.00 |
Spay/Neuter | $50.00 |