About The SPCA of the Triad

Rescue and Adoption

Lime was part of a group of kittens in a hoarding situation. All of the kittens were semi-feral; however, Lime was the least trusting and most scared. 

Finally, Lime started to open up and allowed some humans to pet her, especially if they had treats. Lime was in our care for 18 months with no interest. Lime needed to be with another cat to continue growing her confidence and a family that would give her time and patience to trust. Lime would be a cat for a family's cat until she could trust the humans. 

Seemingly out of the blue, a previous adoptive family wanted to give Lime a chance. Our team encouraged them and helped them understand Lime would need time and patience. Now, Lime is bird-watching from her favorite spot by the window in a home surrounded by humans who give her love, patience, and time. For us, rescue looks like giving animals like Lime the time to wait for the purrfect family and the patience to learn how to trust and love. Time and patience aren't always available to animals like Lime at municipal shelters, where overcrowding forces the clock. 

 

This year marks the fourth consecutive year shelters across the nation are facing levels at or over capacity. The population of animals in our nation's shelters and rescues has increased since January 2021. This surplus is on top of the population already residing within shelters, resulting in an ongoing capacity crisis. 

 

SPCA of the Triad wants to be part of the growing transformation in animal welfare that connects animal services to human services. With over 70% of American households including a pet, it's clear that animals are family. You can help us support both pets and the people who love them—because protecting that powerful human-animal bond strengthens our entire community.

 

Choosing to adopt from a rescue isn't just a compassionate decision—it's a socially conscious one. It's a powerful way to be part of the solution—and to change a life, including your own.

 

Foster

When Roger first came to us, he could barely lift his head. We fed him with a syringe and watched with hope as, day by day, he found the strength to stand and eventually eat on his own. He faced weeks of medical challenges, but with the unwavering love and care of his foster mom, Roger grew stronger—physically and emotionally.

When he returned to us from foster care, he was almost unrecognizable—except for his perfectly speckled nose. Roger is living proof that fostering saves lives. Today, he’s thriving in a forever home with a family who says they’re not sure who rescued who.

As a private, limited-admission, no-kill shelter, we depend on our foster families to care for animals with medical needs, behavioral challenges, or simply those who need a break from the stress of a shelter environment. While they’re in foster care, SPCA of the Triad provides everything they need—food, veterinary care, medicine, and supplies—so our fosters can focus on what matters most: healing hearts and saving lives.

Medical Care 

At SPCA of the Triad, providing medical care is one of the most critical—and costly—aspects of rescue. Every animal that enters our shelter receives a thorough intake exam, along with essential veterinary treatments including vaccinations, deworming, flea and tick prevention, heartworm testing and prevention, and spay or neuter surgery. These routine services are not just best practices—they are life-saving steps that protect each animal’s health, prevent the spread of disease, increase adoptions, and prepare them for a safe and happy future.

But not every animal arrives healthy. Some come to us sick, injured, or in pain. Others fall ill while in our care, especially in the high-stress environment of a shelter. When that happens, we provide the medical attention they need—whether that means diagnostic testing, hospitalization, 

surgery, or long-term medication. This non-routine medical care often comes with a steep price tag, but we believe every animal deserves a chance at life. 

Unfortunately, the rising cost of veterinary care—combined with a nationwide shortage of veterinarians—is making access to medical services increasingly challenging for both shelters and pet owners alike. Despite these hurdles, we remain committed to ensuring every animal at SPCA of the Triad receives the care they need and deserve. Your support makes this possible. 

 

Spaying and neutering pets remains a cornerstone of both sheltering, rescue, and community-based efforts to reduce the overpopulation of animals.  By preventing unplanned litters, we help ensure fewer animals face homelessness or end up in overcrowded shelters, where resources are already stretched thin. This not only creates space for animals in urgent need, but it also allows shelters to devote more attention and care to the pets already in their care.

Beyond population control, spay and neuter procedures offer meaningful health and behavioral benefits. These surgeries can help prevent certain cancers and infections, reduce roaming and aggressive behavior, and contribute to longer, healthier lives. In fact, data from the American Veterinary Medical Association shows that altered pets tend to live significantly longer than their unaltered counterparts.

Ultimately, choosing to spay or neuter your companion animal is a compassionate and socially conscious act that helps build a future with fewer homeless animals and stronger, healthier human-animal bonds. 

Every animal adopted from SPCA of the Triad is spayed or neutered, ensuring a healthier future for each pet and helping to reduce pet overpopulation in our community.

 

 

 

 

Low-Cost Clinics

As veterinary costs continue to rise, we recognize the need for affordable, basic medical care for companion animals. We partner with a locally owned pet supply store to offer bi-monthly low-cost Rabies Vaccine Clinics to community members. Our plans include offering a wellness clinic to the community, featuring low-cost routine veterinary care and vaccines. We intend to host mobile, low-cost vaccine clinics to meet people where they are. Learn more on our website. 

Post Adoption Support 

When humans and animals know better, they do better together. Nearly half of pet parents who experience post-adoption anxiety say behavior issues are the top cause.*

Petcademy offers a 30-day, free online service connecting adopters and fosters with trained animal behavior experts. Through support, expert guidance, and digestible learning materials, pets and their families can thrive. Petcademy is a free service for our adopters, fosters, and pre-surrenders. 

Both ends of the leash need training to ensure a smooth transition post-adoption. So often, we as humans make mistakes because we don't know how to speak "dog." Learning practical and simple tips to build trust and respect with your dog is transformative, so we offer a free monthly group training and behavior session for our adopters. 

 

Pet Food Pantry

Sometimes, life gets hard; unexpected situations arise, emergencies happen, and systemic issues continuously impact families. Our Pet Food Pantry helps keep pets and people together. Nobody wants to break the human-animal bond and contribute to overcrowded shelters because it's a struggle to afford pet food for a moment in time. As we look to the future and build partnerships with local human support service organizations, our pet food pantry will be mobile and easily accessible

 

As part of our strategic plan, we will create coalitions with local human support service organizations and invite those key stakeholders to roundtable discussions on crisis intervention strategies. We will conduct a community survey to identify gaps and determine how we can address their needs with new and revised programs and services. Collecting data from our adopters, fosters, donors, and volunteers will allow us to expand and enhance our offerings. These pivotal strategies will help us support and preserve the human-animal bond.

 

 

Education

Education strengthens the human-animal bond, creates a more informed and compassionate community, and ultimately helps keep pets in loving homes—where they belong. Through our adoption events, fundraising endeavors, free seminars, partnerships with youth,civic groups, and businesses, as well as outreach programs in local schools and libraries, we inform by listening and learning. Changing hearts and minds is at the core of building a more compassionate community—one where animals and their guardians are valued, understood, and treated with kindness.

 

Events

Bringing Pets and People Together—One Event at a Time

Our adoption and awareness events are where second (or third or fourth) chances begin. From local stores to festivals to hikes, these events feature our adoptable animals, connect us with supporters, and spark conversations about rescue, responsibility, and the power of the human-animal bond. Every event is an opportunity to create happy families, educate the public, and celebrate the love that animals bring into our lives. Check out all of our upcoming events on our website and social media. 

 

Volunteerism

Not all heroes wear capes—some carry leashes and poop bags!

Volunteers are the heart of our mission, and we’re proud to have the most dedicated animal lovers in the Piedmont Triad by our side. Their support allows our small staff to stay focused on providing the best care for our animals. After completing training, volunteers can contribute in a variety of meaningful ways—all in support of the human-animal bond that strengthens our community. We welcome families who want to volunteer together and are constantly inspired by the compassion and energy of our college students. After 31 years of lifesaving work, we’re not shy about saying it: our volunteers are truly something to brag about. Learn more about volunteering on our website. 

 

 

Partnerships

Partner with Purpose—Make an Impact That Matters

Together, we can save more lives and help families stay united with their beloved pets. At SPCA of the Triad, we believe in building value-driven community partnerships that allow businesses, civic groups, and schools to join us in creating lasting change. Whether through corporate sponsorship, employee volunteer programs, matching gifts, or youth-led service projects, there are countless ways to collaborate and give back. It’s a partnership that benefits your brand, strengthens our community, and saves lives—what could be better than that?