The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office is in charge of animal control for Buncombe County outside municipal limits. They can be reached at 253-1195. The Asheville Humane Society manages the Buncombe County Animal Shelter.

Buncombe County Animal Control services include

• 24/7 call and dispatch for animal complaints and emergencies
• Certified law enforcement/animal control officers responding to all animal calls
• Animal Control phone number: 253-1195 (Citizens of the county will find that the telephone number is the same, for convenience.) 
• Licensing
• Rabies Vaccination
• Restraint of Animals
• Animal Cruelty
• Wildlife

Asheville Humane Society services include:

• Lost or Found Animals
• Animal Adoption

Asheville Humane Society manages the Buncombe County Animal Shelter at 72 Lees Creek Rd., providing shelter services, lost and found, adoptions, and promoting the humane treatment of animals.

Office Hours
Monday through Friday
8:00am to 5:00pm.

Visit their website at ashevillehumane.org.

For information about animal shelter issues, contact Shelly Moore, Asheville Humane Society Executive Director at 236-3885.

For any animal control issues please call 253-1195.

Humane Society Shelter Statistics

Licensing

Any person living within the city limits of Asheville who owns, keeps, or has custody of a dog is required to obtain a city license tag annually. The annual fee is $10. City license tags can be purchased at City Hall in Asheville.

The following applies to all County residents living in the unincorporated areas:

• Any person living the in unincorporated areas shall not own or harbor any dog or cat over the age of six months that has not been spayed or neutered unless such person holds an unaltered animal permit issued for such animal by the department of animal services, or any successor agency authorized by law to issue such a permit, except:
  1. Persons who own or harbor service dogs or police work dogs;
  2. Individuals who are non-residents of the county and reside temporarily therein for a period not to exceed 30 days;
  3. Animal shelters and veterinary hospitals; and
  4. Persons who own or harbor a dog or cat and who are in possession of a certification signed by a licensed veterinarian stating that such animal is unfit to be spayed or neutered because such procedure would endanger the life of such animal.

How to Obtain an unaltered animal permit:

• Applicants must apply for an unaltered animal permits with Lt. Helen Hall, Director of Animal Services, 253-1195.  Applications for said permit are available at the Sheriff’s Office at 202 Haywood Street in downtown Asheville.
• The fee for an unaltered animal permit shall be $100.00. A tag will be issued identifying the animal as an unaltered animal and must be displayed at all times.

Rabies Vaccination

State law requires that all cats and dogs four months of age and older receive a rabies vaccination. Rabies vaccinations must be administered by a licensed veterinarian. The Buncombe County Sheriff's Office offers a low cost rabies vaccination clinic. The cost is $6 cash per animal. To receive further details and location information concerning this clinic call (828) 253-1195.

Restraint of Animals

The city and county animal ordinances mandate that every person owning or having possession, charge, care, custody or control of any animal shall keep such animal exclusively upon his premises.  However, such animal may be off such premises if it is under the physical control of a competent person and restrained by a chain, leash, harness or other means of physical control.  Beginning October 15, 2007 any animal found running at large, in accordance with the ordinance definition, will be impounded.  If an owner can not be easily found the animal will be taken to the county animal shelter and will be micro-chipped, at the owners expense, before being released to the owner.

Beginning in October, 2007 we will be conducting community meetings to talk about animal control - restraint, vaccinations, spay/neuter and animal care.  These meetings will be held at the fire depts around the county.  Call 253-1195 or email helen.hall@buncombecounty.org for more information.

Animal Cruelty

It is unlawful for any owner to fail to provide his or her animal with sufficient food, water, and protection from the weather. Owners must provide veterinary care and humane treatment.

Wildlife

Western North Carolina has experienced an increase in its human population, leading to a decrease in natural habitats for wildlife. If you are having a problem with nuisance wildlife, Asheville Humane Society recommends the following: remove any or all available food sources, and place garbage in garbage cans and secure the lids. Call the Wildlife Resources Commission at 1-800-662-7137 for further helpful information.

Animal Adoption

Asheville Humane Society offers a wide variety of animals for adoption at 72 Lees Creek Road in West Asheville.

Hours for adoption are:
11:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Saturday
1:00 pm to 4:00 pm on Sunday

The cost of adopting a dog or cat is $50-100. This includes spaying or neutering, vaccinations, physical exam by staff veterinarian, microchip, an identification tag, collar and leash or cat carrier, and one month of veterinary insurance.

Lost or Found Animals

If you have lost your pet, call the Asheville Humane Society immediately at 253-6807. File a lost report with the shelter and plan to come to the shelter at least every other day to personally look for your pet.

If you have found an animal, call the Asheville Humane Society and file a found report or bring the animal to the shelter. The Humane Society is located at 72 Lees Creek Road in West Asheville.

The hours to file a lost or found report or to bring in a stray animal are:
8:30 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Saturday
1:00 pm to 4:00 pm on Sunday