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Found An Animal

Foothills Canine Rescue does not take in stray dogs. View our “Stray Hold Protocol” here.

What to do with a found animal?

When pets wander off or stray away from home it can be very stressful for both the animals and their families. By understanding what to do when an animal is found and reacting quickly and appropriately, you can help create a smooth reunion!
In North Carolina, stray animals must be taken to the county shelter. Sending all stray animals to one known location helps families to reunite more quickly with their pets.
The Caldwell County Animal Shelter is located at 180 Government Way SW in Lenoir and is open Monday-Wednesday from 10 am to 4:45 pm and Thursday-Friday 9 am to 4:45 pm. Contact them at (828) 572-4535.
The Caldwell County Animal Shelter maintains a 72-hour minimum stray hold for animals without identification, and a 10-day stray hold for animals with identification or a microchip.

What to do with a stray:

First and foremost, all stray animals must be reported to the county shelter in which they were found.

Here is how you can help when you find a stray pet:

If the animal is friendly and responds to you, look for ID tags or a microchip tag on the animal’s collar. Then you can contact their caretaker to make a plan to safely return the animal to its owner.
If you can’t approach or safely contain the animal, please call Animal Services and give them detailed information about the animal in need so they can assist. Caldwell County Animal Control Services: 828-572-4535

If there is no contact information on the animal:

Take the animal to your county’s animal shelter. In the Caldwell area, this is the Caldwell County Animal Shelter. They will gather useful information about where and when the animal was found as well as check lost reports to see if the family is already searching for their pet.
If the shelter is closed, take the pet home and contact the Caldwell County Animal Shelter right away by phone, or email a Found Report. Please provide a detailed account of the animal and the specific location you found it as well as valid contact information for you. Including a picture of the animal is also very helpful! When you get home, give the found animal a safe place away from children or other pets and offer them water and appropriate food if available. Often animals will not eat when they are highly stressed, so don’t be alarmed if they refuse food or treats.
Bring the animal to a nearby vet office or animal shelter to have them scan the animal for a microchip. If no chip is present, either take the animal directly to the Caldwell County Animal Shelter or take them home with you and contact the county shelter immediately.
After the county shelter has been notified, you can network and help reunite the pet with their family:
Put up flyers in the neighborhood where the animal was found. You can also put flyers up at nearby vet offices, shelters, pet food and supply stores, or any other nearby businesses with community bulletin boards.
Post on social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Pawboost, or other community sites. Ask friends to share it in hopes of the message reaching the pet’s family.
Run a FOUND ad in the local newspaper and check the lost ads.
Please remember to follow up with the county shelter and with the posts, flyers, and ads once the pet has been reunited with their family!
An animal can end up as a stray in many different ways. We all need to do our best to practice compassion when dealing with animals and our fellow community members. Please remember that animals can escape from even the most loving and responsible family.

Did you find stray kittens?

Wait! Their mother may be nearby waiting for you to leave. If the kittens look healthy — meaning they are clean, warm, and have rounded bellies — wait 6-8 hours to see if mom comes back. If the mother does not return, and/or if the kittens do not look healthy, contact your local county animal control.

If the kittens are healthy and the mother returns, search out a cat rescue to help. Look on Facebook for a resource near you or ask your local pet store or cat café for the cat rescue they work with. FCR does not work with felines at this time.

Waggin' Tail Resale & Marketplace

220 Joyceton Church Road
Lenoir, NC 28645
+18285724822

Foothills Canine Rescue

P.O. Box 2746
Lenoir, NC 28645
+18283947490

© 2025 Foothills Canine Rescue

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    • Please work with your foster dog as you would any new pet in the home. Basic commands, such as sit, down, stay; house, leash and crate training; socialization with people and other pets. Crate-training is highly encouraged, and FCR will provide one if needed.
 
    • Enthusiasm is contagious! Your excitement about finding forever homes for all of our dogs will help get them to their forever faster. Please share all FCR Facebooks posts and talk about FCR to your family, friends, neighbors and coworkers.
 
    • If you are able to provide nutritious food for your foster dog, that is helpful to us. If you are unable, FCR will provide food. Please request this from the FCR Foster Coordinator.
 
    • We constantly update our social media sites. If you could send us updated pictures of your foster dog, that keeps our marketing “fresh.” One or two new pictures every two weeks is sufficient.
 
    • Once you get to know your foster, please send us biographical information. As you notice additional changes in behaviors/habits, send us that information, too.
At Foothills Canine Rescue, we work to save the lives of as many dogs as possible. Each year, because of supporters like you, we are able to positively impact hundreds of dogs. We never euthanize a dog due to space or length of stay. We use euthanasia as a compassionate, end-of-life decision when a dog is suffering from a severe medical or behavioral condition and with the recommendation of our attending veterinarian. At FCR, we make decisions based on what is best for the dogs in our care, and for the safety of our community. To us, No-Kill means that we do our absolute best to ensure a live outcome.