Great private fenced dog park in Mebane. Book through Sniffspot app. We went for an hour on…read moreSunday. Our service dog loved it. It is so clean and well cared for.

This is a small shelter on the same grounds with an education center to work with owners and their…read morenew dogs, a dog park, and a nearby vet offering low-cost spays/neuters. From what I understand, the APS of Orange County started this shelter but I'm not sure if it's still part of APS. It's become a place for animals transferred from nearby county shelters. If you're lucky, you'll have the grounds cat escort you from your car to the front door just to make sure you don't get lost or take a wrong turn. The day I was there it was relatively quiet and I had the opportunity to spend as much time as I wanted with the animals. Like most shelters, the cats are separated by age group and placed in three decent sized rooms with lots of toys and beds. Only one of the rooms was an interior room with no view outdoors. The cats get to free roam within their rooms. Paws4Ever has dogs, too, but I didn't go back into their area. The woman working allowed me to take my time but was very quick to answer any questions. In fact, since I was the only one there at the time, even the cats seemed to like the attention. Unfortunately, that made it even harder to leave them all behind. My only criticism would be the smell. The rooms were clean, I didn't see any litter boxes, but it smelled like litter boxes that needed to be cleaned. It's an okay shelter, seems relatively low-key, and that probably makes it a nice place to check out if you're in the area.

I can't say enough about this shelter the entire staff is absolutely amazing I adopted a dog almost…read more8 months ago ran into some medical problems and they were willing to care for her while I was in the hospital and treated her with the utmost care thank you guys so much and keep doing what you're doing you make a difference ! Thank you once again so much !

Amazing shelter!!! They are thoughtful with their interactions and take great care of their pets…read more Helped me with any questions I had

Wonderful staff with so much knowledge of the pups that they take care of. Pam was wonderful when…read morehelping us with getting Zelda to be part of our forever home. They come with being fixed and up to date on all their shots.

Adopted our Beau 3 years ago. The staff and foster volunteers truly care about finding the best…read morehome for the animals. Adopting an animal involves a process, but the end result is so worth it. We have the happiest puppy in the world.

Pet friendly place. Gives a furry friend a temporary home while at the same time finding a forever…read morehome for these pets. Associating with Paws on death Row, I dropped off food, toys, leashes and beddings for these pets to live comfortably.

We adopted from these folks recently. Unlike another rescue, the cages are bigger, two level…read more"condos" or entire rooms with only 4 cats. Their cats did NOT all have health conditions unlike another rescue we visited. We expressed interest in two cats in October but were traveling. So they said they can't promise anything but if still available we could apply to adopt. Our adoption application was approved in less than a week. When we finally went there in January, they were very helpful with the process. And we adopted the two cats we've been watching since October!

This is a small adoption center. It's no less heartbreaking to see these animals, though. They're…read morewell cared for, the place is clean and the staff is friendly. The center will let you walk through their facility after you check in without a hassle. They recommend washing or sanitizing your hands between cages, but none of the sanitizers were full and some seemed like they were ripped off the walls. There were lots of kittens, and only two adult cats but there were plenty of dogs. What struck me was the variety of dogs, mostly medium size, but in all kinds. The larger dogs were outside, but maybe they're rotated to the outside cages when the inside ones are being cleaned. It was both sad and fun to see them all watch me as I walked through, coming to the cage door, tails wagging, almost in unison, and some barking a welcome. I hated to leave them all behind. They looked sad when I didn't stop for long. The cat cages were small, and sometimes with three or four kittens in each cage, which seemed a bit cramped, but kittens probably don't stay long here. If you're in the area, stop by. You'll probably like it too and even rescue one of those sad faces.

WORST ANIMAL SHELTER IN NORTH CAROLINA DO NOT WORK WITH THIS ANIMAL SHELTER. ESPECIALLY HELEN!!!…read moreShe will read your emails and ignore them and then let you know she ignored your email. I'm going to have to find out who hired her because they handled my owner surrender terribly. All of the employees act like they don't know what to do without speaking to a manager. Managers are always in a meeting when you need to speak to them.... Just terrible place please save yourself from the headache of working with these people.

MEEEE-OW!!!! These guys rock!!!…read more I am a traveling contractor who does not get the opportunity to be at home with my pets very often and the majority of that responsibility goes to my partner. With an ill pet, all you want to know is, "Is he going to be ok?" "Is she getting better?" Our pets are more than a part of our family, they ARE our family. When my pet, Sparky, became distant and annoyed, and began to eat less, he also had a growth on his chin that I could not help him with...because I am not a doctor. Ah-ha! I reached out to HOPE Animal Rescue and I can't be more grateful. They stepped in and helped get Sparky to a veterinarian within a few days, after the application process was completed, and Sparky is a HAPPY CAT. Laurel was especially helpful in that she made the process seem like there wasn't a process...even though we all know what it takes to get things done today. Feats like this are not marginal notes in life...they are magnificent, loving, caring moments in time that help us to remember, "Wow. I really don't feel so alone out here in the world." I cannot say enough about HOPE Animal Rescue. In a way, Hope Animal Rescue rescued my pet AND me, because I was so distraught over what was happening to him and the not knowing is what creates the fear. Thank you to Laurel and the entire VOLUNTEER staff and businesses that help to support Hope Animal Rescue. You rescued the best part of me today...and if you're doing that for me, I know that you're doing this for a lot of other people. THANK YOU for all of the hard work that you're doing out there for the animals that aren't a part of our health care system.

Great system in place. Adopted my dog easily and they confirmed it was the best place for the dog.read more

Filled out an application and never heard back. We live right down the road and USED to donated…read morestuff here all the time. We are animal lovers and have 10 acres just begging for a dog to replace our baby girl who passed last fall. Oh well, I guess we're not good enough for this place. A feel bad for the animals, they deserve better.

Sometimes you think you're going to walk into a place that will have you cringing or running back…read moreout the door. Sometimes you're so overwhelmed by the number of animals in a shelter you want to cringe or run back out. You might be tempted to do so here at CARA, but you'll be missing out. CARA is small brick building housing some of the nicest volunteers you'll meet anywhere. And they know how to have fun with all their animal residents, dressing them up in festive attire for their holiday pictures on the website, for example. It doesn't matter whether the volunteer is a dog person or a cat person, he or she will spend time with you visiting and interacting with the animals, answering questions and helping you find the perfect friend. On Thursdays, Cara stays open a little later so there's time for you to stop by after work to pick up your new friend, or visit or meet with the cats or dogs. When you stop in, you won't be required to complete paperwork or answer a million questions to get past the front door: the staff will take you right in to meet your (hopefully) future pet companion. The paperwork comes later, but it's a no pressure, stay as long as you like, environment.

The Goathouse is a sanctuary for cats that have no where else to go. Many will find their furever…read morehomes, but for some - the elderly, sick or unadoptable - the Goathouse will be their home for the rest of their lives. Many were dumped on the streets, abandoned, and some were rescued from kill shelters. They roam freely, are extremely well cared for including food, vet care and a warm bed. Potential adopters are thoroughly screened to ensure that the cat is going to a good home and will not end up on the streets or in a kill shelter. Visitors can spend as much time as they want just visiting with the cats or strolling through beautiful gardens complete with free range chickens. It is truly a magical place for the animal lover.

I've had a really bad experience with this place and heard many similar stories from others. The…read moreowner, Siglinda, is extremely rude and aggressive. She yells at people trying to surrender animals and treats volunteers like they're stupid. It's not a welcoming or respectful environment at all. The animals often look sick and poorly cared for. Many have skin issues and it doesn't seem like there's any quarantine or proper medical care happening. I know people who adopted cats they were told were healthy and fixed, only to find out they were sick and not spayed or neutered. They had to spend hundreds at the vet. The facility itself is in rough shape. There's moldy wood, sharp metal sticking out, and it doesn't look safe for the animals. They leave wet food out for hours, which is gross and attracts bugs. It's only open to the public two days a week, and they barely respond to messages. I've also heard she's keeping a bunch of cats in her personal home instead of the refuge, which is really concerning. This place honestly feels more like a hoarding situation than a proper animal rescue. I really wouldn't recommend adopting from here or supporting them. The animals deserve so much better.

I had adopted my puppy from iIAR recently. A big shout out to all the professional volunteers. They…read moreare careful placing their animals in a safe, loving environment.

Independent Animal Rescue (IAR) goes above and beyond to care for companion animals in the Durham…read moreand Chapel Hill communities. They are truly all-volunteer and every decision they make is made with the best interest of the dog or cat in mind. I started fostering kittens with IAR in 2014 and continued on as a foster for several more years before transitioning to other volunteer roles. I also am what is known as a foster fail, having adopted an adorable lanky kitten early on as a companion for our resident kitty. Due to personal health concerns, I sadly stepped down from my volunteer roles last year, but I have a deep love for IAR and wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone looking to adopt a dog, cat or pair of kittens, or to foster or volunteer! If you happen to be on one of the North Durham Nextdoor websites, on just about every post concerning community cats or dogs you'll see numerous individuals who have found help through IAR recommending them as a resource for guidance and support. I am sure the same is true throughout Durham, Chapel Hill, and Carrboro. IAR is quick to step in when there is a need - whether it's saving kittens who are in storm drains, feeding and spaying and neutering feral colonies, or rescuing and caring for homeless dogs and cats until they find their forever homes.