Best Dog and Cat Rescues in Charlotte, NC

Here’s a list of the best pet adoption and dog and cat rescues in the Charlotte, NC area:

The Humane Society of Charlotte is a leading non-profit organization that facilitates adoption and fostering, while also offering many different services for you and your pet. Their website offers resources for spaying/neutering, animal wellness, rehoming a pet, lost and found pets, and behavioral training, among others. They host a number of fundraising and awareness events, as well as pet adoption events.

Catering to Cats and Dogs. This non-profit makes the most of socialization within the pet-enthusiast community with local events, meet and greets, and seasonally themed activities hosted throughout Charlotte. They have an online catalog of the pets currently in their care and available for adoption. They rescue both cats and dogs and love to add volunteers to their network to foster, adopt, and help at adoption events.

Heart of a Lion Rescue. “Heart of a Lion Rescue's only goal is to find the perfect forever home for each cat and kitten that we take in” and they spay or neuter and give medical attention when needed to every cat that they rescue. Like some others on this list, their webpage shows who’s adoptable at their shelter and how you can volunteer. They have bottle-feeding experts to help them rescue even the newest kittens from the Charlotte area. They pride themselves on matching their many adoptable cats and kittens with their perfect human companions.

Precious Kittens Cat Rescue is another volunteer-run, donation-only non-profit located in Charlotte. Their mission is to “take in vulnerable and orphaned kittens from the wild, pull them from kill shelters and also help rehome cats in need,” and their “cats are vetted, vaccinated, and fixed before becoming available for adoption”. They’re also registered with Amazon as a 501(c)3 non-profit, so you can donate your change to them while you shop.

CMPD Animal Care & Control is the city of Charlotte’s animal control organization that shelters homeless dogs and cats in the city. Their home page contains a capacity meter to let the public know when adoption is most needed. They also offer permits and licensing, pet fostering and volunteer work, and accept cash donations and supply donations. Their lost and found pet service and microchipping updates help protect pets that have wandered too far from home.

Humane Society of York County is a 501(c)3 non-profit animal rescue located at 8177 Regent Parkway, Fort Mill, South Carolina. They also facilitate pet fostering if you want to help, but can't adopt. Volunteers are encouraged to participate in their community outreach programs that spread awareness about pet adoption and spaying/neutering.

Paws of Piedmont Animal Rescue is located in Locust, NC and their site allows you to both browse pets in their care and get set up for your pet’s licensing. PoP is a “100% volunteer and foster-based” 501(c)3, non-profit Animal Rescue that adopts dogs, cats, and other animals. They do not have a brick-and-mortar location but instead rely on a network of foster parents to help get homeless pets adopted.

Great Dane Friends of Ruff Love rescues Great Dane and Great Dane-mixed breed dogs. These big dogs require special considerations and this non-profit takes the time to thoroughly match and verify applicants looking to adopt. Don’t have the room to house a Great Dane or Great Dane mix? You can still volunteer to help care for these gentle giants via this link. They were founded in Charlotte and currently operate throughout NC and SC as an extension of Ruff Love Rescue, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Did we miss anyone?

There are so many great animal rescues in Charlotte doing the hard work of protecting, caring for, and rehoming vulnerable pets. If you want us to recognize a shelter near you, let us know!