CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As area shelters reached critical levels, a nationwide campaign was launched to help clear the shelters and find forever homes for as many pets as possible.
Participating area shelters and rescues had volunteers available Saturday at the following locations to help as many pets as possible find their forever homes! Most locations had waived or reduced adoption fees, and there's always a need to foster or adopt:
York County Humane Society
1 - 4 p.m. by appointment only
8177 Regent Pkwy, Fort Mill, SC 29715
CMPD Animal Care & Control
11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
8315 Byrum Dr, Charlotte, NC 28217
Humane Society of Charlotte
11 a.m . - 6 p.m.
1348 Parker Drive, Charlotte, NC 28208
Gaston County Animal Care and Enforcement
11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
1491 Business Park Ct, Gastonia, NC 28052
Lancaster SPCA
10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Lancaster County Animal Shelter, 2074 Pageland Hwy, Lancaster, SC 29720
Lincoln County Animal Services
12 - 5 p.m.
650 John Howel Memorial Dr, Lincolnton, NC 28092
Greater Charlotte SPCA
11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Pet People Waverly, 7315 Waverly Walk Ave, Charlotte, NC 28277
Catawba County Animal Services
11 a.m. - 6 p.m.
201 Government Services Dr, Newton, NC 28658
Watauga Humane Society
12 - 5 p.m.
312 Paws Way, Boone, NC 28607
Stanly County Humane Society
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
2049 Badin Rd, Albemarle, NC 28001
Stanly County Humane Society
Adopt cats from Petsmart (cats only)
10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
780 Leonard Ave Suite H, Albemarle, NC 28001
Zach’s Rescue
Petsmart, 2875 W Hwy 74, Monroe, NC 28110
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care and Control asked for the public's help as rising pet intake, staffing shortages and population growth in Charlotte put the shelter in "crisis" mode.
After the COVID-19 lockdown drove intake numbers down and more families to adopt new pets, the center is now facing a perfect storm of straining factors: A rising human population, also bringing new pets to the area, the highest intake numbers in years and staffing shortages.
But viewers came to the rescue for many animals, and WCNC Charlotte learned from Animal Care and Control every pet featured in live coverage on Friday was adopted!
Clear The Shelters is an annual, nationwide pet adoption and shelter donation campaign that is spearheaded by NBCUniversal Local, a division of NBCUniversal. Each year, NBCUniversal Local’s NBC- and Telemundo-owned stations, plus affiliated stations, partner with animal shelters and rescues in their communities to host Clear The Shelters events.
Charlotte Knights fostering dog as WCNC Charlotte launches Clear The Shelters
Here's a look at which area shelters and rescues are participated in Clear The Shelters during August and what they needed from the community
CMPD Animal Care & Control
- 8315 Byrum Dr, Charlotte, NC 28217
- View adoptable pets
- Here's how you can help:
- Take a dog on a Staycation for a long weekend: A Staycation is available to people who cannot commit to adopting a pet but want to help by taking a dog home for up to five days to give it a break from the shelter environment and provide it the benefits and experience of living in a loving home. Visit the CMPD Animal Care and Control shelter on Byrum Drive in Charlotte. Pick out an adoptable dog, show ID, sign a waiver, and take them home for up to five days.
- Foster a dog: Consider a longer-term foster assignment. Fostering reduces the long-term boarding of animals who can suffer from kennel stress which often leads to behavior issues. Foster-centric is a trending term that describes a new model for animal sheltering. It puts animals who are ready for adoption in homes in the community, leaving space at the shelter for the animals who need special care or management. Fill out an application online to foster.
- Adopt: If you have been thinking about adding a furry friend to your family, there is no better time than now. Adopting one animal will save two lives: by saving the one you adopt and the one who takes its place. Details on the adoption process are online. Visit CMPD Animal Care & Control this Saturday to adopt.
York County Humane Society
- 8177 Regent Pkwy, Fort Mill, SC 29715
- View adoptable pets
Humane Society of Charlotte
- 1348 Parker Drive, Charlotte, NC 28208
- Adoption Center is open to the public
- View adoptable pets
Gaston County Animal Care and Enforcement
- 1491 Business Park Ct, Gastonia, NC 28052
- View adoptable pets
Lancaster SPCA
- 2074 Pageland Hwy, Lancaster, SC 29720
- View adoptable pets
Greater Charlotte SPCA
Catawba County Animal Services
- 201 Government Services Drive, Newton, NC 28658
- View adoptable pets
- Go to http://www.petharbor.com
- Type in the zip code 28658
- Click “Catawba County Animal Care and Control”
- From that menu, you can view all the animals currently at the shelter
Zach's Rescue
North Mecklenburg Animal Rescue
Lincoln County Animal Services
- 650 John Howel Memorial Dr Lincolnton, NC 28092
- View adoptable pets
Heart of the Foothills Animal Rescue
Rusty's Legacy Dog Rescue
Watauga Humane Society of Boone
This year, Clear the Shelters was a month-long campaign, finding homes for animals across the Charlotte area who need a forever family. Donations can be made online with 100% of the money going to the shelter or rescue. WCNC Charlotte has teamed up with 11 shelters and rescues to support the annual adoption campaign.
Also new this year are the opportunities to find pets online and via the WeRescue app and to donate to hundreds of other shelters that are not able to remain open during the COVID-19 crisis, but still desperately need help to care for animals and place them in homes.
To help individuals and communities continue to practice safe social distancing measures, WCNC Charlotte's month-long “Adopt & Donate” effort will feature virtual pet adoptions and make it easy for people to donate online to participating shelters and rescues. The campaign runs from Aug. 1 through Aug. 31.
Wake Up Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at Wake Up Charlotte.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Stitcher || TuneIn || Google Podcasts
All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.