A Message From Our Director
Our shelter is in a fight for its life — and we believe you deserve the full truth. Read a direct message from our new Executive Director, Doug Rae, on the debt we inherited, the changes already underway, and how you can help.
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Reuniting Pets With Their Families
When your dog or cat strays from home, it's frightening for everyone. Here are some tips to help reunite you with your companion as quickly as possible.
Please note: the Humane Society of Catawba County and Catawba County Animal Services are two different shelters. HSCC generally does not take in stray animals. If you've lost a pet or found a stray, your first call should be to Catawba County Animal Services at (828) 466-6814. That said, the occasional stray does come to us — we're happy to keep an eye out for yours.
If You've Lost a Pet
Check the sheltersView animals currently...
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Support When You Need to Rehome a Pet
We understand that the decision to rehome your pet can be a difficult one, and we're here to support you. Before you surrender, know that we offer resources — from low-cost clinics to our Pet Food Pantry — that may help you keep your pet in your home. If rehoming is still the right choice, we'll help you through it.
As space allows, we accept owned pets from residents of Catawba County and surrounding areas. Once you've completed the steps below, an HSCC staff member will contact you within 72 hours with further instructions.
If you need to surrender your pet immediately...
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Low-Cost Vaccines, Testing & Preventatives
Keeping your pet's vaccinations up to date is one of the simplest ways to protect them from contagious disease. Many of these diseases are airborne or easily tracked into the home, and places like boarding kennels, dog parks, and grooming salons are common points of exposure.
At HSCC, we know that good care can be expensive. That's why we offer low-cost vaccines, testing, microchips, and nail trims at a fraction of the typical cost — so you can keep your pet healthy without the worry. Our wellness clinic is open to the public from all surrounding counties.
Clinic Hours
Monday–Thursday, 9:00 a.m. –...
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Identification for Your Pet
A registered microchip is your pet's ticket home. Did you know that 1 in 3 pets will become lost at some point in their life? No matter how careful you are, accidents happen — storms, fireworks, an open gate. A registered microchip dramatically increases the chance that you and your pet are reunited.
We offer microchips at HSCC for just $25, available at our weekly vaccine clinics and during spay/neuter surgery appointments. The process is simple, fast, and virtually painless. About the size of a grain of rice, the chip carries an ID number linked to your contact details.
How It Works
All...
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Low-Cost Spay/Neuter for the Community
Spaying or neutering your pet is one of the most important parts of responsible pet ownership. Sterilized pets live longer, healthier lives, and they help solve the pet overpopulation crisis that fills shelters across our community.
HSCC is proud to offer low-cost spay/neuter to the public through two on-site clinics: the Foothills Spay/Neuter Clinic at our Hickory shelter, and Foothills Animal Health Center in Claremont. These services are available to everyone, regardless of county of residency.
Schedule a Surgery
Most spay/neuter appointments can be scheduled online. Feral cat package appointments must be scheduled by phone — see our Community Cats page.
Hickory (Foothills Spay/Neuter...
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Temporary Pet Food Assistance
HSCC's Pet Food Pantry helps pet owners facing financial hardship by providing temporary pet food assistance. One in four pet owners who surrender their pets cite financial difficulty as the reason. By offering supplemental food support, we help keep pets healthy and in the homes that love them — and out of the shelter.
Many people will prioritize feeding their pets over themselves, or resort to table scraps that can cause health issues. Our goal is simple: keep pets fed, healthy, and home.
Please note: we are unable to provide food for individuals feeding feral cat colonies.
Who Qualifies
To receive assistance, please provide...
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Trap-Neuter-Return for Feral & Stray Cats
For many years, the Humane Society of Catawba County has recognized that Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) is the most humane and effective way to manage and reduce the population of feral and stray cats — the cats we call "Community Cats."
A feral cat is unsocialized and tends to be fearful of people, keeping its distance. Community Cats most often live outdoors near a food source, in groups called colonies. Most colonies originate from unsterilized stray and roaming owned cats — which is exactly why spay/neuter is the key to managing them humanely.
The Feral Cat Package
Our Feral Cat Package is $50 and includes...
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Income-Based Spay/Neuter Assistance
Spaying and neutering are essential to controlling pet overpopulation and giving animals healthier lives — but the cost can be a real barrier for many families. Our income-based grant programs help ease that burden so cost never stands between a pet and the care they need.
All grants are for owned pets only — not rescues or ferals. Each person must provide their own proof of eligibility.
Sand & Clay Project (Cats Only)
The Sand & Clay Project discounts spay/neuter surgery for both male and female cats. Animals must be current on rabies (one can be given at surgery for $10; a certificate,...
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