Our vision is that most of the animals that will come to Forsyth County Animal Shelter will leave the shelter alive through adoption, transfer, or being reunited with their owners after being lost. Only animals who have been ffound to be suffereing or dangerous will be humanely euthanized.

However, as an agency, we have made the decision not to use the divisive and misleading term, "no-kill". There is no legal definition for the term, and euthanasia of animals in shelters is a community issue, not just a shelter issue. The people who work hard to save the lives of animals in shelters in neighboring communities are not killers, and we want to do our best to build each other up, rather than break one another down.

We must not only focus on positive outcomes for animlas in our care, but also commit to providing comprehensive attention to the mental and physical needs of the animals who stay in their facilities, and Forsyth County Animal Shelter is proud to make mental enrichment a priority for our shelter animals.

The staff and volunteers at Forsyth County Animal Shelter uphold a strong commitment to professionalism and respect towards our colleagues, citizens and partners in other jurisdictions, and, will continue to focus on progressive and inclusive animal welfare initiatives and law enforcement, while avoiding the use of critical and undefined terms like "no-kill."

If the animal is sick or injured, please contact FCSO Animal Services and an officer will be contacted.

If you have a stray dog and are able to contain it, bring it in. Please call FCAS at 336-703-2480 during normal business hours to create a stray dog report. You can also email a photo of the dog to shelter@forsyth.cc for inclusion on the lost/found page. If you are unable to keep the dog while the owner is located, please bring it ot the shelter during business hours.

If you see a stray cat near your home, DO NOT FEED IT OR LET IT INSIDE YOUR HOME. File a stray cat report if it is sick or injured. If it appears healthy, please leave it alone and give it a chance to find its way home. Many cat owners let their cats be indoor/outdoor cats and they usually don't stray more than a block or two from their homes. If you feed it, it will not go home.

If it is still around after 3 days, post flyers, post on Facebook/Nextdoor app, and contact FCAS to make arrangements to bring it in (it needs to be contained). Unfortunately, most cats who come to the shelver are not reclaimed.

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If you happen upon a litter of kittens outdoors, it's natural to want ot scoop them up and try to care for them yourself or take them to a shelter. But both of those options may actually place them in more danger. In addition, truly feral cats and kittens cannot be socialized and made to be "adoptable" - the one trait necessary for all animals entering a shelter to find a new home. To give a stray cat and her newborn kittens the best chance of survival, follow these steps:

1. Don't touch the kittens and do try to figure out if their mom is around. Observe them from a distance every couple of hours for 12 to 18 hours. Also, try leaving out wet or dry food for the mother. If the food is gone in 12 hours, mom is taking care of her babies. If the kittens seem content and are not fussing, there's a good chance their mom is coming back.
2. If the kittens are in danger due to their location, move them to a safe spot nearby so the mom can easily find them when she returns
3. If the mom hasn't come back or the kittens are dirty, meowing or appear sick, underweight or dehydrated, contact a local feral rescue organization such as Forgotten Felines of Forsyth County. They can help you determine if the kittens are at risk and if you should intervene. If intervention is necessary, Kitten Lady offers comprehensive resources for taking care of neonates and kittens. AS a last resort, the kittens can be brought to FCAS.
4. Finally, if you spot the mom, leave the kittens alone. Provide food to the mom. When the kittens have been eating on their own for about four weeks or are big enough for surgery (typically when they're between two and three months old), humanely trap the whole family (TNR - Trap, Spay or Neuter, Release) and have them spayed or neutered. A local TNR program may be able to help you with the trapping process. After the cats are spayed or neutered, release them at the location where you found them. TNR is the most humane method of preventing feral cats and kittens from entering the shelter system and being euthanized. Forgotten Felines of Forsyth County and Humane Solution are both excellent references for TNR.