About a year ago, I rescued a puppy from a busy road in the Brevard area. That's when I first learned about our county animal shelter and the abandoned and abused animal population here in Transylvania County.
Our shelter is an old, sad building with extremely limited space for all the dogs that wind up there. 
When a dog is brought to the shelter, there is a 5 day grace period to allow the owner to claim the animal. If the dog is not claimed, and the shelter fills up (which is practically every day), that dog can be euthanized for no other reason than a lack of space. Dogs that have been surrendered by their owners aren't that lucky. They do not get that 5 day grace period and can be put down at any time.
Every single day of the year dogs end up at the Transylvania County Animal Shelter and the scenario is played out again and again. While other counties in our area have recognized the need and created modern new shelters and facilities, our county has been stuck in neutral, despite a plan for a new shelter that was approved and funded.
That's why organizations like Charlie's Angels Animal Rescue are so important. Charlie's Angels is a non-profit organization whose only mission is to rescue dogs and cats from the shelter so the string of senseless deaths is stopped. So far this year, the group has rescued nearly 300 dogs. The organization pays to have every animal vaccinated, spayed or neutered, and treated for various medical conditions. From there, the animals go to foster homes or other rescue organizations who arrange for forever homes. If a foster home is not available or transport to a rescue group is not immediate, the group pays private kennels to keep the dogs safe while other arrangements can be made.
If you are in the Transylvania County area, Charlie's Angels Animal Rescue (CAAR) needs you! Volunteers are needed in several critical areas. First, we need foster homes where these dogs can be safe. Secondly, volunteers are needed to help with transporting dogs to area kennels, and to and from the spay/neuter clinic. We also need volunteers to help with the never-ending need for fund raising. As a non-profit organization, CAAR relies soley on donations and 100% of those donations goes to the care and rescue of these precious dogs and cats. As a resident, you can also help by pressing our County Commissioners to move forward with their commitment to build a new shelter.
If you would like more information about animal rescue efforts in the Brevard area, or would like to simply donate, visit online at CharliesAngelsAnimalRescue.com.
And if you are not in this area, then I encourage you to do several things. First, support spay/neuter laws to help slow the unwanted pet population. Secondly, support the animal rescue efforts in your community with your time and your money. Lastly, when you are ready to add a dog or cat to your family, please go to your local shelter first.
If you think there are no "good" dogs at the shelter, meet Ace. 
His 5 day grace period was over and he was on the list to be killed. That was December of 2009. Ace is now a beloved member of our family and every time I look at his sweet face, I think about how close he came to being killed for only one reason - there just wasn't room for him at the shelter. What a tragic waste of a life that would have been.
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