Pet Help Center
The Pet Help Center is part of Asheville Humane Society and serves as the community support and intake team for the Buncombe County Animal Shelter. We help people navigate issues involving pets in Buncombe County, including lost and found pets, rehoming support, pet retention resources, owner surrender requests, and basic shelter services.
Our goal is to help pets stay safe, stay with their families whenever possible, and do the best we can to make intake decisions that are in the best interest of pets and their families.
The Pet Help Center works closely with but is separate from Buncombe County Animal Crimes/Animal Control. The PHC does not handle animal cruelty and neglect investigations, dangerous animals, bite investigations, rabies enforcement or injured wildlife calls. For those issues, please call 828-250-6670 or call 911 if after hours or an immediate emergency.
FAQs
We may be able to help with:
- Lost and found pets
- Pet food and basic supplies
- Owner surrender requests
- Rehoming support
- Behavior resource referrals
- Low-cost veterinary resource referrals
- End-of-life services
- Vaccine clinics and community wellness resources
- Keeping found pets safely in the community while searching for owners
If we can’t directly help with something, we’ll do our best to connect you with someone who can.
No proof of income is required to speak with our team and explore options.
Some programs and services may have funding requirements or limited eligibility, but we encourage people to reach out before a situation becomes a crisis.
Some services are free, while others may have low fees depending on the service provided.
For example:
- Rabies vaccines through the Buncombe County Animal Shelter are currently $5.
- Some community clinics and programs may have separate pricing or eligibility requirements.
If you’re unsure about costs, contact us and we’ll walk you through your options.
Our website is a great place to start to help direct you to the right experts who can help you with any issues with a pet.
You can also leave us a voicemail or text the Pet Help Center at 828-250-6430. Our team will reach out to talk through the situation and help determine the next best steps.
Every situation is different, and we’ll work with you to figure out the safest and most appropriate option for both you and your pet.
Our team has limited hours, but there are still options depending on the situation.
- Situations involving injured animals, animal cruelty, dangerous animals, or public safety concerns should be directed to Animal Crimes/Animal Control at 828-250-6670. If there is an immediate emergency or threat to public safety, call 911.
- If you’ve found a healthy stray pet after hours, you may not need to bring them to the shelter immediately. In many cases, keeping the pet safe in the area where they were found gives them the best chance of returning home. Visit the lost and found section of our website for guidance on what to do next.
- You can also leave us a voicemail or text message at 828-250-6430, and our team will respond as soon as possible during operating hours.
If you need to surrender your pet, start by submitting an Owner Surrender Request through our website. Our team will talk through what’s going on, answer questions, and help determine the safest and most appropriate next step for both you and your pet.
Sometimes people are looking for temporary support during a crisis, while other situations may truly require surrender. Every situation is different, and our goal is to help you navigate it without judgment.
Our job is to help find the best outcome for both pets and people.
That may include discussing resources, medical support, behavior referrals, rehoming options, or other alternatives that could help keep a pet safely in their home. Many people reach out before they know what options exist, and sometimes it only takes a small amount of support to prevent a pet from entering the shelter unnecessarily.
We also understand that some situations genuinely require surrender and are not here to shame anyone asking for help.
Yes.
If surrender is determined to be the safest or most appropriate option, we will guide you through the process. Shelter space and resources are limited, so owner surrenders are managed through an appointment system that allows us to safely plan for each pet’s care.