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 What should I do in case of an emergency?
 Depending on what the emergency is, call
· Veterinary Emergency Clinic of Gaston County 704-866-7918
· Emergency Veterinary Clinic (Matthews) 704-672-9954
· Animal Emergency and Trauma Center (Charlotte) 704-588-7015
· Gaston County Animal Control 704-922-8677
Emergency only 704-866-3300
· Gaston County Police 911 or non-emergency 704-866-3300
· ASPCA Poison Control Center 1-888-426-4435
Are Gaston Humane Society and Gaston County Animal Control the same?
No. Gaston County Animal Control is located in Dallas and is supported by Gaston County. Gaston Humane Society is a non-profit, volunteer organization and is supported only by donations. Gaston Humane Society has no kennel.
I have lost my pet. What can I do?
Call or e-mail Gaston Humane Society (704-824-8990). We may have found it!
Call Gaston County Animal Control (704-922-8677/8) and ask if your pet has been turned in. Please remember that many animals are turned in daily. It is possible that the person on the phone may not be aware of every animal and that your description may not match the description given when the animal was turned in.
Go to Gaston County Animal Control every day if at all possible. Check in the office and all the cages where the animals are kept.
Put up pictures of your pet at your vet's office/your workplace. Ask your friends to do the same.
Put up large signs (with a photograph if possible) in and around the neighborhood or the place you last saw the pet.
Give the information to your mail delivery person and ask him or her to tell other carriers in the area to be on the lookout for your pet.
Put an ad in your local paper. Ask about adding a picture. You may offer a reward.
Is there a leash law in Gaston County?
Yes, there is a leash law for dogs, but not for cats.
What can I do to find a home for the stray hanging around my house?
If possible, take a photograph of the animal. Someone may have lost their pet!
Call or e-mail Gastonia Humane Society and ask if someone has reported a pet missing.
Call Gaston County Animal Control and ask if someone has reported a pet missing.
Make sure you understand the consequences of turning any animal over to Animal Control! If the animal has no tag proving a current rabies vaccination that is more than one year old, Gaston County Animal Control can not put the animal up for adoption.
The time the animal is made available for an owner to claim it is limited. Make sure you understand the conditions and the consequences of turning an animal over to Animal Control.
Put a picture of the animal at Gaston County Animal Control.
Call your local newspaper and ask about free ads for Lost and Found.
Put a picture of the animal at your vet's office, your workplace, and ask friends to help.
Give Gaston Humane Society (704-824-8990) a description/photograph of the animal.
Will you come pick up my pet?
Please call Gaston Humane Society (704-824-8990) or
e-mail us. If we have a foster home available, it is possible that someone can help you. If we do not have a volunteer foster home, we can not come get your pet. We will, however, take your information and pass it along (with your permission) to anyone interested in giving your pet a home.
How can I be sure the animal goes to a good home?
Here are some questions to ask the person interested in taking your pet:
Do you have a fenced in yard? Do you have children? How old are they?
Where will the pet sleep? Do you have other pets? Who is the vet? Are the
other pets spayed/neutered? Ask about past pets the person has owned where those
animals are now. Go and see for yourself where your pet would be living!
I can no longer keep my pet. What can I do?
Call your local newspaper and ask about free ads for give-aways.
Give Gaston Humane Society (704-824-8990) a description/photograph of the animal.
Put a picture of the pet at the vet's office, your work place; ask friends to help you.
Gaston County Animal Control: Make sure you understand the consequences of turning any animal over to Animal Control!
If your pet has a current rabies vaccination that is more than one year old, Gaston County Animal Control will
(depending on space available) put your pet up for adoption. The time the animal is made available is
limited. Make sure you understand the conditions for adoption and the consequences if your pet is not adopted within a specified length of time.
What
do I have to do to be sure my puppies/kittens do not get diseases?
You
should take your puppy for its first vaccinations when it is 6 weeks
old. Kittens begin their vaccinations at 6 weeks as well. Puppies
have vaccinations at two-week intervals, while kittens get their
second set of shots at 9 weeks. These vaccinations are crucial for
the pets' health. Your vet may follow a different protocol, but the
main thing is to get them to the vet at 6 weeks of age. If your pet
is older than this and never had vaccinations, please take them as
soon as possible to you vet. Rabies vaccinations are given at
4 months for both species.
Where can I get tags for my pet?
Call Gaston County Animal Control
(704-922-8677).
When/where can I have my pet spayed (females) or neutered (males)?
Most veterinarians in Gaston County will spay/neuter your pet at 4 months of age. This depends on the vet, and ideally 6 mos. is an age at which dogs and cats are spayed/neutered. Both can be done earlier. Gaston Humane Society requires that a pet be spayed or neutered before it can be placed in a "forever" home.
My pet has had a litter. When can I find homes for them?
Ideally the babies should stay with the mother for at least 6 weeks. They should be eating solid food before they are taken from the mother. This is not only good for the pet's health, but also for the socialization of the animal. If a pup or kitten is taken too early or too late from the mother, it may have problems learning the language of others of its species or learning to relate to people.
Please have your pet spayed or neutered immediately after the babies are no longer nursing.
Why should I have my pet spayed or neutered?
In addition to preventing overpopulation of animals, having your pet spayed or neutered will benefit his health. When a female is spayed before the first heat, the chance of breast cancer later in life is almost zero. Many male animals are found to be less aggressive after being neutered.
Why should I adopt a pet rather than buy one with "papers" from a pet store, breeder or at the flea market?
Papers are easy to come by. Healthy, well-bred animals are not so easy or inexpensive to acquire. There are many breeders (who also sell to pet shops) who have papers for their animals, but have not had the parents tested for diseases and genetic problems related to the breed. If you want to buy an animal from a breeder, do your research and ask to see the tests run on that animal and its parents. If there is a problem with that, do not buy the pet! A responsible breeder does not sell to pet shops, they show at least one of their pets and are proud and happy to show you all the results of tests done on that pet and on its parents and grandparents. They will ask that you return the pet to them if there is any problem. They will either offer to refund your money or give you a replacement from their next litter. They will require that you sign a contract and will want to make sure that you have the pet spayed or neutered (unless you are investing quite a bit of money -- after a lot of research into the breeders' practices -- in a show dog!). If they do not insist on these things, do not purchase the pet! Responsible breeders breed to improve the breed. They breed for that reason only.
Are there any special prices for rabies vaccinations?
Almost all Gaston County veterinarians participate in a special program for vaccinations twice a year. Please call your vet and ask when that service is offered.
What do I do if I can't afford to have my pet spayed/neutered?
Please call Gaston Humane Society (704-824-8990) and request information. There is also a Snip Program for spay/neuter in which almost all veterinarians in Gaston County participate. The Humane Society of Charlotte has a spay/neuter clinic (704-333-4130).
Who works for the Gaston Humane Society?
We are an organization of volunteers. We are people just like you who have jobs, families and other responsibilities. We would be happy to have you join us.
What kind of dogs/cats does the GHS have up for adoption?
The number of animals in foster care, as well as the list of animals that must be re-homed, changes daily. Please call Gaston Humane Society (704-824-8990) or
e-mail us for specific inquiries.
I want to adopt a pet. What do I have to do?
Please fill out the form found on this site and e-mail it to us. You may also call the Gaston Humane Society (704-824-8990).
Where do you keep the pets up for adoption?
Volunteers have foster pets living in their homes. You can make an appointment to
visit these pets by calling Gaston Humane Society (704-824-8990).
We also keep an ever-changing list of animals that people for one reason or another have to give up. We do not have enough volunteers to foster these animals. We can only put you in contact with the owners. These pets are not for sale.
What does it cost to adopt a pet from the Gaston Humane Society?
If the animal is living in a foster home, we have already spent money on it at the vet's office and possibly at a groomer's. In simple cases these costs are about $75-$100. In other, more complicated cases where heartworm or other diseases have been treated, the costs are substantially higher, sometimes in the thousands of dollars. We ask that a new owner contribute whatever possible in order for us to be able to continue to help other animals.
If the animal is not being fostered by us, you simply contact the present owner. Those animals are not for sale. They are to be given away.
If you have other questions, feel free to E-mail
us.
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