Animal Protection Alliance

The Animal Protection Alliance (APA), incorporated in 1998 and granted permanent 501 © 3 status in 2005, has worked for the past eight years with a strong volunteer force to keep the Rutherford County Animal Control Facility open Monday-Friday (12:00-4:00pm) and Saturdays (10:00am-2:00pm) so that more County residents can adopt puppies, dogs, kittens and cats.

Click here for information about the Rutherford County Animal Control Facility where so many dogs and cats are in need of adoption and rescue. You can check the adoptable dogs and cats, and also check the lost dogs' and cats' list. The lost dogs and cats are the ones that are strays and have not been here the 3 days (72 hours) as required. These dogs and cats will be updated to the Adoptable List when this time is fulfilled. If you are interested in any of these adoptable or lost list animals, please let us know so we can put a hold on these animals. We are required to give a hold notice of at least 2 days (48 hours) if possible. You can contact one of the volunteers at the RCAPA Office between 12:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. Monday - Friday and from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. The # to the office is 828-287-7738 or email us at rcapa@blueridge.net. Please remember these dogs and cats are in desperate need of adoption or rescue!

Our Mission
To reduce the destruction rate of kittens, cats, puppies and dogs in Rutherford County by promoting aggressive spay and neuter programs and educating citizens regarding responsibility and compassion for their animal companions.

Our Goals

• To promote the reduction of the number of cats and dogs destroyed in Rutherford County through the support of a county-wide spay/neuter program and pet tag identification.
   

• To develop and maintain strong, positive and productive working relationships with Rutherford County Animal Control, the Sheriff’s Department and County Government in order to promote animal welfare objectives and to provide synergistic opportunities for problem solving and community involvement.
   

• To promote responsible pet ownership through education of citizens in Rutherford County.
   
   
• To foster homeless animals until they are adopted or rescued, through our Foster Care Program.
   
   
• To raise funds through hosting animal-related events and participating in community and county-wide events.
   
   
• To secure funds to continue our many projects by writing grants.
   
   
• To provide comprehensive, low-cost handling and obedience classes for dogs and their families through positive reinforcement methods via our Paws-A-Tive Obedience Classes.
   
   
• To team dogs destined for execution with inmates at the Spindale Correctional Facility, where each dog and inmate handler will undergo an intense eight-week obedience course and at the end of the program, dogs “graduate” and are placed in adoptive homes in our area, via our New Leash on Life.
   
   
• To operate the RCAPA office, located at the Rutherford County Animal Control Facility.
   
   
• To rescue dogs by selecting, pulling, spaying/neutering, vetting and transporting dogs up to 1000 miles away to various rescue and adoption organizations in the Northeast.
   
   
• To operate the Spaying and Neutering Program, dedicating funds for spay/neuter surgeries to residents living in remote areas of the County who may not be able to afford these services.
  
   
• To carry on The Pet Project, writing Sunday Newspaper Pet Columns twice a month and inserts in The Daily Courier.
  
   
• To volunteer: 50 volunteers dedicating countless hours to fulfill RCAPA’s many projects.