ROCKINGHAM — If you’re looking for a pet, Tessie Caulder-Brigman suggests checking the Richmond County Animal Shelter.
The shelter is hosting another adoption event on Friday, June 20 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., with food trucks and a bounce house on site.
Caulder-Brigman, director of the shelter, announced Wednesday that adoption fees would be waived for anyone bringing in a bag of cat or dog food.
Earlier in the week, the shelter put out a plea to the public on Facebook asking for donations of cat litter, Sportmix dog food and towels, as well as a link to an Amazon wish list which also includes litter boxes, scoops, food and water bowls and cleaning supplies.
On both June 11 and 18, the shelter announced that it was at maximum capacity, noting in the latter post that adoptions and fosters were at an all-time low.
“We cannot continue helping more dogs until the ones already in our care find homes,” the June 11 post reads. “Some of these sweet souls have been waiting months for a family. We have dogs of all kinds — playful young-spirited, mellow couch potatoes, active companions, loyal snuggle bugs. Goofy, gentle, strong, shy… you name it, they’re here, and they’re waiting.”
The shelter is also not accepting owner surrenders. All intakes and other issues must go through Animal Control units.
Since taking over shelter operations in October 2024, Caulder and her crew have struggled to make the shelter as close to a no-kill facility as possible.
Residents are strongly encouraged to have their current pets spayed or neutered to cut down on the number of unwanted animals across the county.
One local nonprofit, Richmond County Fix, is also working toward that goal, helping transport pets to a clinic, as well as efforts to quell the population of feral colonies in both Rockingham and Hamlet.
