Adopt
Meet dogs and cats ready for their families. Adoption includes vaccines, microchip, and spay or neuter.
See pets →Rutherfordton, NC · Rutherford County
A safe haven for homeless pets in Rutherford County.
Heart of the Foothills Animal Rescue is a place for new beginnings. We provide a safe haven for homeless pets while building a no-kill community in Rutherford County, North Carolina. We take in surrendered and abandoned dogs and cats, provide medical care and socialization, and match them with families in the western foothills.
Foster
Open your home for a few weeks. We cover food, supplies, and vet care. You provide the couch.
Become a foster →Donate
Every dollar funds vaccines, surgery, and supplies. One-time or monthly, any amount moves a pet.
Give today →Our mission
A place for new beginnings, one pet at a time.
We share a campus on US Highway 221 North in Rutherfordton with animal control services, which gives us direct access to pets at the moment of greatest risk. When the county calls, we answer.
Read our storyRutherford
County no-kill effort
7 days
Weekly adoption hours
Cats at Play
Cage-free cat lounge onsite
Who we help
Every pet has a category, and a chance.
Illustrative photos licensed under Creative Commons via Openverse. See full credits →
Programs
The work, broken down.
01
Adoption Program
Dogs and cats available at our Rutherfordton campus. Meet-and-greet appointments seven days a week. Every adoption includes vaccines, microchip, and spay or neuter.
02
Foster Network
Foster homes provide temporary care for pets who need a break from shelter life: nursing moms, recovering medical cases, puppies and kittens too young to be in a kennel.
03
Rutherford County Animal Control Partnership
Our campus shares space with Rutherford County Animal Control, allowing us to intake and rehome pets surrendered to the county every day.
04
Cats at Play Cafe
A cage-free lounge where adopters meet cats outside a kennel. Better matches, less stress for the animals, fewer returns.
Stay close to the rescue.
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