About Us

Who We Are

Who We Serve

We serve all of Polk County, North Carolina. Polk County includes the towns of Tryon, Columbus, Saluda, Mill Spring and parts of Rutherfordton and Hendersonville that are within Polk County. FHS provides shelter and care to animals brought in by Polk County Animal Control Officers since the County does not have its own facility for animals. As space allows FHS take in animals from other areas such as Landrum, Campobello and Gowensville if funding is provided specifically for those animals.

Who We Are

Foothills Humane Society (FHS) is a private non-profit, 501(c)3 no-kill animal welfare organization located on 11 acres nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Polk County, North Carolina. Our mission is to shelter and care for stray and surrendered animals within our community; prevent cruelty to animals; reunite lost animals with their owners; adopt animals to qualified homes or place them with reputable rescue organizations; and educate the public about responsible animal ownership and population control.

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We Are Driven By Our Mission

FHS began in 1957 as the volunteer-operated Polk County Animal Protection Society, with no facility. Eleven acres was generously donated to FHS in the 1980’s and the facility we currently use today was built in 1989. Thanks to the support of our community, FHS now employs a dedicated staff to manage the facility and its residents. The Board of Directors voted to become a no-kill shelter in 2010.

In addition to our successful adoptions and rescue programs, we offer many volunteer opportunities, public training classes, training and behavior assistance for our shelter dogs, and boast an average 97% live-release rate, meaning that approximately 97% of our animals are adopted into loving homes or transferred to reputable rescue organizations.

Core Values

Demonstrate kindness to all animals
Provide excellent animal care
Educate the public about animal needs
Realize the value of teamwork
Focus on future goals & improvement
Exercise social responsibility

“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened.”
– Anatole France

Donate to FHS

FHS CAN'T SURVIVE WITHOUT YOU

FHS is primarily supported by donations, fundraisers, grants, and adoption fees. FHS's contract with the County covers approximately 30 percent of our total annual expenses. 70 PERCENT of the costs of food, medical care, staffing, building maintenance and more come from DONATIONS & GRANTS. WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT!

FHS Staff

Our Team

We couldn't do it without the help of our FHS Staff, Board of Directors, and Vet and Training Partners. Your time, talents, and hard work are the driving force behind our success, and we couldn't have done it without you. We want to express our heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering commitment and dedication to our mission