Resources

MEDICAL AFTER-HOURS EMERGENCY

When most veterinary offices are closed, the after-hours emergency vet is open. Carolina Vet Specialists (CVS) is located at 1600 Hanes Mall Blvd. (corner of Jonestown Rd. and Hanes Mall Blvd.) (336) 896-0902

Surrendering Animals

If you wish to surrender an animal to AARF, please complete the dog surrender form or the cat surrender form. Please note - all surrender applications must be accompanied by a photo of the animal(s). Surrender forms without photos will not be considered.

Other Resources

To support pet owners and others in our community, AARF provides this list of helpful resources. While not exhaustive, it offers a starting point, and there may be additional reputable sources not included here.

  • It is much easier to prevent litter box problems than it is to fix them. While most cats use their boxes without difficulty, any cat can struggle if certain conditions are not met. If there are issues, first take your kitty to the vet to rule out any underlying medical issues.

  • We recommend obedience training for all dogs. Working with your dog on basic obedience is a great way to bond and make your dog a better family member.

    Bestfriends is an online resource that will provide you with a lot of helpful ideas, but it is not a substitute for a professional dog trainer.

    This is not a comprehensive list of dog trainers in Winston-Salem. AARF does not affiliate with or promote any of these. When you call, be sure to mention if you have adopted your dog from a local rescue, as many trainers will offer an adoption discount. An asterisk (*) indicates that the trainer will also work with certain aggression issues. Please contact the facility/trainer for more information.

    • Handicapped Pets Foundation (for dogs and cats) - dedicated to the health and well-being of elderly, disabled, and injured pets; provides mobility equipment to pets in need.

    • HandiPets Plus (for dogs and cats) - supplies drag bags, belly bands, and diapers that are made to order and help keep your pet comfortable as they navigate the world around them; this is a special need supply company and NOT financial aid.

    • Walkin’ Pets (dogs only) - provides equipment for disabled pets so that elderly, handicapped, and injured pets can lead happy, healthy, and high-quality lives; this is a special need supply company and NOT financial aid.

    • Unchain Forsyth - This program sponsored by Fur-Ever Friends of NC builds fences for dogs who have lived their lives at the end of a chain. Low-income candidates must meet certain requirements.

    • Unchaining Greensboro‍‍

    • UNchain Winston - Builds free fences for qualified families, builds and distributes free dog houses, repairs existing fences, and loans portable dog pens for fostering and rescue. Houses for Hounds (an UNchain Winston program) through a partnership with Forsyth Humane Society, provides free dog houses, crates, and straw bedding to low-income Forsyth County residents so outdoor dogs can be brought indoors during the coldest months.

  • Below you’ll find loan and grant resources for financial assistance on vet care. You may also wish to apply for CareCredit, a healthcare credit card.

    Financial Assistance for Veterinary Care for DOGS and CATS

    • American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) veterinary care for sick or injured pets that have been abandoned or for qualified owners.

    • Dylan’s Hearts provides families struggling financially with the funds necessary to move treatment forward in an emergency or critical situation for the animals.

    • Frankie’s Friends provides grants to assist with the cost of lifesaving or life-enhancing emergency or specialty care for pets whose families cannot afford the full cost of treatment.

    • Fur-Ever Friends/Rico Fund - Serving all of North Carolina. Financial assistance for medical care for your pet, or a stray animal.

    • Onyx and Breezy Foundation supports medical treatment for animals where hardship is present, as well as other endeavors that benefit the welfare of animals.

    • Paws 4 A Cure provides financial assistance to qualified families throughout the United States who cannot afford veterinary care.

    • Red Rover Relief - The Urgent Care Grants program helps animals who need urgent and emergency veterinary care.

    • STARelief and Pet Assistance is a national organization that provides assistance for low-income families, physically or mentally impaired, U.S. military members and their families, homeless who own pets, senior citizens and retirees on a fixed income, victims of domestic violence, pets displaced due to natural disasters.

    • The Magic Bullet Fund - provides financial assistance for pet cancer surgery and chemotherapy.

    • The Pet Fund - provides financial assistance to qualified owners of domestic animals.

    Financial Assistance for Veterinary Care for DOGS Only

    • Canine Cancer Awareness - provides information and resources for canine cancer.

    • The Mosby Foundation assists in the care of critically sick, injured, abused, and neglected dogs through financial support and public education.

    • Trio Animal Foundation - assists shelters, rescues, and individuals by paying the medical bills of homeless pets.

    Financial Assistance for Veterinary Care for Cats Only

  • First, do not assume the animal is homeless. There’s a good chance they have a family who loves and misses them!

    Follow the P.A.C.K. Checklist to find the animal’s owner:

    • POST information and pictures of the animal on Petco Love Lost: @petcolovelost or petcolove.org/lost

    • ASK neighbors and local businesses if they recognize the pet. Share on social media and local lost & found pet groups.

    • CHECK for an ID tag with owner info. Visit a vet’s office, shelter, or microchip station to check for a microchip.

    • KEEP the animal safe. Provide a calm, secure space with food, water, and shelter while you search for the owner.

    • Country Club Groomers (Brenda Isselhardt) - 4854 Country Club Rd, Winston-Salem; 336-659-7651

  • AARF maintains a list of local shelters and rescue organizations with a variety of services. This list is not comprehensive; there may be other nonprofit rescues in the community that aren’t included in this list. You can view and download the list HERE.

    • Act quickly! Search your own property. Look under furniture, porches, in garages, drainage, pipes, or other possible hiding places.

    • Make sure any microchip information is current.

    • Report your lost or found pet on Petco Love Lost with a photo to make your pet visible to finders.

    • View and download AARF’s resource guide for lost and found pets here.

    • AARF Pet Food Pantry - Must apply: Food Assistance Application‍; PICK-UP: Tue and Thu, 2-4 p.m. only. Location: 302 Thurston Street, Winston-Salem. Call 336-768-7387 for availability.

    • Ardmore United Methodist Church - First and third Thursday of the month at 5:15 p.m. Bob Martin Hall, 630 S. Hawthorne Road, Winston-Salem; 336-723-3695

    • Fuzzy Friends Pet Food Pantry - Serving the Winston-Salem area. Only open in the fall and winter on the third Saturday of the month. Email to set up an appointment. 548 Friedberg Church Road, Winston-Salem; 336-692-6207

    • Holy Cross Catholic Church - Education Building. Third Thursdays of the month from 10-11 a.m. or until supply is gone. Located in front of the education building at 616 S. Cherry St, Kernersville. In case of inclement weather, call 336-497-1767.

    • Love Community Development - Mon, Wed, and Fri, 1-3 p.m. 3980 N. Liberty St, Winston-Salem; 336-886-5641; email

  • For adults who are grieving the loss of a beloved pet or animal companion, Trellis Supportive Care offers a monthly support group via Zoom. They also offer supportive resources and grief kits for families with children who are coping with the impending loss or death of a pet. Call 336-331-1300 to register for the monthly pet loss group or for more information.

    • Central Spay Neuter and Wellness Clinic (Piedmont Triad) - provides affordable spay, neuter, wellness exams, microchipping, and vaccinations.

    • Feral Cat Assistance Program (FCAP) - Greensboro-based rescue that improves the lives of local feral "community" cats through teaching humane cat trapping, loaning cat traps, and managing a monthly ultra-low-cost ($10 per feral cat) spay/neuter/vaccinate clinic.

    • Forgotten Felines of Forsyth - provides a low-cost TNR (trap-neuter-release) program

    • Humane Solution - provides low-cost vouchers to pet owners with financial hardships

    • Humane Society of the Piedmont - provides spay/neuter and medical assistance for Guilford County residents

    • Project B.A.R.K. (Bringing Animals Relief and Kindness) - focus on offering low-cost spay/neuter voucher assistance for pet owners in financial need in Guilford County only

    • Sheets Pet Clinic (Greensboro) - low-cost spay/neuter services

    • Spay USA - nationwide network and referral service for affordable spay/neuter. Their mission is to end the suffering of innocent dogs and cats by reducing the number of unwanted births.

    • Spay/Neuter Hotline: 336-965-1059 for information on their 10/15 Fix Program. Guilford County Residents only.

    • Surry Spay and Neuter Clinic (Ararat) - low-cost spay/neuter services. You do not need to live in Surry County to use these services.

    • The Spay & Neuter Clinic of Alamance County (Burlington) - provides low-cost spay, neuter, and wellness for the general public

    1. MYTH: My pet will get fat and lazy.

      FACT: The truth is that most pets get fat and lazy because their owners feed them too much and don’t give them enough exercise.

    2. MYTH: It’s better to have one litter first.

      FACT: Medical evidence indicates just the opposite. In fact, the evidence shows that females spayed before their first heat cycle are typically healthier. Check with your veterinarian about the appropriate time for these procedures.

    3. MYTH: My children should experience the miracle of birth.

      FACT: Even if children are able to see a pet give birth — which is unlikely since it usually occurs at night and in seclusion — the lesson they will really learn is that animals can be created and discarded as it suits adults. Instead, it should be explained to children that the real miracle is life, and that preventing the birth of some pets can save the lives of others.

    4. MYTH: But my pet is a purebred.

      FACT: So is at least one out of every four pets brought to animal shelters around the country. There are just too many dogs and cats — mixed breed and purebred.

    5. MYTH: I want my dog to be protective.

      FACT: Spaying or neutering does not affect a dog’s natural instinct to protect the home and family. A dog’s personality is formed more by genetics and environment than by sex hormones.

    6. MYTH: But my dog (or cat) is so special, I want a puppy (or kitten) just like her.

      FACT: A dog or cat may be a great pet, but that does not mean her offspring will be a carbon copy. Professional animal breeders who follow generations of bloodlines can’t guarantee they will get just what they want out of a particular litter. A pet owner’s chances are even slimmer. In fact, an entire litter of puppies or kittens might receive all of a pet’s (and her mate’s) worst characteristics.

    7. MYTH: It’s too expensive to have my pet spayed or neutered.

      FACT: The cost of spaying or neutering depends on the sex, size, and age of the pet, your veterinarian’s fees, and a number of other variables. But whatever the actual price, spay or neuter surgery is a one-time cost — a relatively small cost when compared to all the benefits. It’s a bargain compared to the cost of having a litter and ensuring the health of the mother and litter; two months of pregnancy and another two months until the litter is weaned can add up to significant food costs and veterinary bills if complications develop. Most importantly, it’s a very small price to pay for the health of your pet and the prevention of the births of more unwanted pets.

    8. MYTH: I’ll find good homes for all the puppies and kittens.

      FACT: You may find homes for all of your pet’s litter. But each home you find means one less home for the dogs and cats in shelters who need good homes. Also, in less than one year’s time, each of your pet’s offspring may have his or her own litter, adding even more animals to the population. The problem of pet overpopulation is created and perpetuated one litter at a time.

    (Source: Humane World for Animals, formerly The Humane Society of the United States)

  • Rehoming your family member is a difficult decision. If your animal has behavior issues, there may be solutions, such as training, to help solve the problems. See “Dog Training” section above.

    We would love to help your pet if we are able. If you need to surrender your pet to AARF, please complete the cat surrender form or dog surrender form. If you are located more than 45 minutes from our headquarters, please pursue other options for rehoming your pet. We cannot guarantee that your cat or dog will be the right fit for our program.

    Because the owner surrender rate is so high in our local community and beyond, shelters and rescues may be full. Below are some resources that can help you and your pet find a good solution.

    Rehoming your pet yourself:

    • List your pet on adoptapet.com.

    • Post your pet on nextdoor.com.

    • Use your personal network. Reach out through social media, friends, your veterinarian, etc.

    • Check potential adopter’s references by asking if they have previously had pets. Request the name of their veterinarian so you can call to see if they provided regular vet care. Questions to ask the vet:

      • Do they come in for regular/annual vet care?

      • Are their pets up-to-date on their vaccinations?

      • Did they purchase heartworm preventative medication?

      • Are their current pets spayed and/or neutered?

      • If they haven’t had prior pets, ask for personal, non-related references.

    • Be patient; you want to find someone who will be responsible and is financially able to provide care.

    • Please understand that moving your pet to a new home will be disruptive to them and they will need someone who is patient and understanding.

    Rehoming your pet via rescues:

    • Reach out to all community rescues (see list below).

    • Is your animal a specific breed? Most breeds have their own rescue groups! Check out this national list, or use Google to search for local breed rescue groups.

    If you cannot rehome your pet through any of the above methods, refer to your local municipal animal shelter. Check hours of operation before going to a shelter. You may need an appointment. Please know that some of these shelters euthanize for space, so make this decision carefully.

  • A New Start in Life (NSIL) program partners with Family Services to provide safety and care to pets while survivors of interpersonal violence stay at their shelter. NSIL, a PAW Alliance program, provides loving foster homes or lodging, food and treats, medical care, toys, and all other needs. After leaving the shelter, pets and humans are reunited. To qualify for this program you must be a resident of the Family Services shelter. Learn more and apply on the PAW Alliance website. Fill out the application on the PAW Alliance website.

  • If you have found an injured or orphaned wild animal, please call or visit the website for one of these organizations before you do anything else. Do not feed the animal. Due to the risk of rabies, do NOT handle foxes, skunks, raccoons, coyotes, and bats.