Cleveland County Animal Shelter, Adoption & Pets 2026
The public shelter most people mean by “Cleveland County Animal Shelter” is Cleveland County Animal Services (CCAS) at 1601 Airport Road, Shelby, NC 28150. It is Cleveland County’s public animal shelter and animal-control department, handling adoption, stray and lost pets, field-service calls, owner-surrender assistance, rabies vaccination and community animal programs.
Current dedicated shelter pages list public and adoption hours as Monday–Friday, 11:00 AM–4:00 PM and Saturday, 11:00 AM–3:00 PM. The shelter is normally closed Sunday except for special events.
What Do You Need Cleveland County Animal Services For?
Adoption, animal control, reclaim and surrender all use the same county department, but the correct next step is different.
I want to adopt
Check current dogs and cats first, note the animal’s ID and visit during adoption hours with a valid government-issued photo ID.
My pet is missing
Search shelter listings, call 704-481-9884 and visit in person because CCAS says not every impounded animal may appear online.
I need Animal Services in the field
Call 704-481-9884 for county animal-related complaints, stray animals and normal field-service assistance.
I may need to surrender a pet
Non-emergency surrender is managed admission and appointment-only. Start with a CCAS pre-intake counseling call instead of arriving without approval.
I need a rabies vaccine or exposure help
CCAS currently provides rabies vaccinations for $10 during posted shelter hours and handles animal/rabies-control concerns.
I need community-cat help
Cleveland County centralized its community-cat program under Animal Services in July 2026. Call 704-481-9884 to report or request assistance.
Cleveland County Animal Shelter Adoption Hours & Fees
| Day / pet | Current published detail | Before you go |
|---|---|---|
| Monday–Friday | 11:00 AM–4:00 PM | Current dedicated CCAS homepage and adoption page use this schedule. |
| Saturday | 11:00 AM–3:00 PM | Check for holiday-weekend or special-event changes. |
| Sunday | Closed | Special events can create exceptions. |
| Dog / puppy | Normally $40 | Promotions or fee-waived programs can reduce the price. |
| Cat / kitten | Normally $10 | CCAS also advertises a two-for-one cat promotion. |
| Working cat | No adoption fee | Working cats are intended for appropriate outdoor/barn-type placements, not typical indoor companion homes. |
How to Adopt From Cleveland County Animal Services
Start with the official adoption page
Open the Cleveland County Animal Services adoption page and check the current dogs/cats before driving.
Note the animal’s name or ID
Listings can change quickly. Save a screenshot or write down the shelter ID so staff know exactly which animal you want to meet.
Bring government-issued photo ID
CCAS requires valid government-issued identification such as a driver’s license, passport or government ID card.
Visit during current adoption hours
Use Monday–Friday 11 AM–4 PM or Saturday 11 AM–3 PM as the current dedicated-site schedule. Call first for a late Tuesday trip because an older county page still publishes an extended Tuesday schedule.
Ask for the animal’s medical and behavior information
Ask which vaccinations were administered, heartworm status for dogs, spay/neuter date, microchip details, known behavior notes and any recommended follow-up care.
Confirm the final fee and take-home plan
Standard fees are usually $40 for dogs and $10 for cats, but promotions may apply. Prepare a secure leash, crate or carrier and a quiet first-day setup.
Dog and Cat Adoption Locations Are Not Always the Same
Dog adoptions: county shelter
The current dog-adoption page directs visitors to 1601 Airport Road, Shelby. Standard dog adoption is normally $40.
Check the official CCAS dog listings before visiting.
Cat page currently directs adopters to PetSmart Shelby
CCAS’s current cat-adoption page directs interested cat adopters to the PetSmart at 733 E Dixon Blvd, Shelby, NC 28152. Standard cat adoption is normally $10.
Use the current CCAS cat-adoption page to confirm where a specific cat is being shown before traveling.
What the Cleveland County Adoption Fee Includes
| Included care | Dogs | Cats |
|---|---|---|
| Initial medical exam | Yes | Yes |
| Deworming | Yes | Yes |
| Core vaccine | DHLPP | FVRCP |
| Rabies vaccination & tag | Yes | Yes |
| Microchip and registration | Yes | Yes |
| Spay / neuter | Yes | Yes |
| Heartworm screening | Initial screening listed | Not listed as cat adoption inclusion |
Lost Pet in Cleveland County: Do Not Wait for the Website Alone
CCAS says impounded lost pets are held for a minimum of 72 hours before evaluation for adoption. Not every animal may appear on the website, so an in-person search can matter.
Check the official lost-and-found listings
Start with the Cleveland County lost-and-found page for current shelter animals and reporting options.
Call 704-481-9884
Give the pet’s species, sex, color, size, markings, collar, microchip information and exact last-seen location.
Visit the shelter if you still have no match
CCAS specifically warns that not all impounded animals may be displayed online. A physical shelter check can catch a mismatch in breed, color or identification.
Prepare proof of ownership
For reclaim, bring medical records, photos or other evidence linking the animal to you, plus rabies-vaccination documentation.
Expect possible reclaim costs
CCAS says impound and boarding charges may apply. If current rabies proof is unavailable, a rabies vaccination and tag will be required before release. Call for the exact total.
Found a Stray or Need Cleveland County Animal Control?
Call 704-481-9884
Cleveland County Animal Services’ field officers enforce county and state animal laws and respond to animal-related calls throughout the county.
Give the exact location, animal description, whether the animal is contained, whether anyone is injured and whether the animal appears aggressive or sick.
Field officers may scan animals
CCAS says its field staff carry microchip scanners and will attempt to scan animals in the field and return them to the registered owner when possible.
Keeping your microchip registration current can prevent a shelter stay altogether.
Emergency & Important Cleveland County Animal Contacts
| Contact | Number | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Cleveland County Animal Services | 704-481-9884 | Shelter questions, field services, stray/lost animals, rabies-related animal concerns, surrender routing and community-cat requests. |
| Emergency | 911 | Immediate life-threatening emergencies. CCAS also specifically directs after-hours suspected rabies-carrier contact involving a pet to 911. |
| Cleveland County E-911 Communications — Non-Emergency | 704-484-4822 | County non-emergency public-safety dispatch. This is not the routine adoption or shelter-information number. |
| NC Wildlife Helpline | 1-866-318-2401 | Wildlife behavior/conflict advice Monday–Friday, 8 AM–5 PM, excluding holidays. The helpline does not itself remove animals. |
| Cleveland County Public Health — main line | 980-484-5100 | General county public-health contact. A dedicated current public-health animal-bite hotline was not verified on the official pages reviewed for this guide. |
Rabies Vaccines, Wildlife & 2026 Cleveland County Alert
Rabies information is unusually important for this particular county page. Cleveland County Animal Services’ current website reports 20 confirmed positive rabies cases for 2026 as of September 1.
$10 rabies vaccination
CCAS currently advertises rabies vaccinations for $10 during regular shelter hours: Monday–Friday 11 AM–4 PM and Saturday 11 AM–3 PM.
Dogs, cats and ferrets need vaccination
CCAS states that North Carolina requires dogs, cats and ferrets to be currently vaccinated against rabies beginning at four months of age.
CCAS limits wildlife pickup
Animal Services says it picks up wildlife when the animal is a rabies-vector species displaying suspicious behavior rather than simply because wildlife is present.
Owner Surrender: Cleveland County Uses Managed Admission
Do not arrive with an owned pet expecting immediate non-emergency intake. CCAS is a managed-admissions shelter and accepts animals according to available shelter/foster capacity and level of need.
Start with the official surrender page
Review Cleveland County’s pet-surrender guidance before transporting the animal.
Request a pre-intake counseling call
Non-emergency pet admission is appointment-only. CCAS says surrender appointments are scheduled by shelter staff during the pre-counseling telephone process.
Expect capacity-based timing
During busy intake periods, owners may be placed on a waiting list until shelter or foster space becomes available.
Ask about keeping the pet in the home
CCAS offers resource, medical, behavioral and rehoming assistance intended to solve some problems without immediate shelter surrender.
2026 Community Cat Program: Requests Now Go Directly to CCAS
Cleveland County changed its free-roaming/community-cat process in July 2026, making this a useful local detail that should not be copied from older pages.
Program centralized under Animal Services
Cleveland County announced that its community-cat trap/vaccinate/return work is now managed directly by Cleveland County Animal Services rather than being routed through a separate outside system.
Call 704-481-9884
The county says community-cat notifications and assistance requests should now be reported directly to Animal Services. CCAS evaluates requests and processes them according to community need and available resources.
Does Cleveland County Animal Services Have a Public Vet Clinic?
Rabies vaccination is available
CCAS currently advertises $10 rabies vaccinations during regular shelter hours. Adopted animals also receive the medical preparation listed in the adoption package.
No general public vet appointment schedule was found
The current official pages reviewed for this guide do not publish a general owned-pet veterinary clinic appointment calendar, public veterinarian roster or standard public exam-fee schedule.
For that reason this page does not invent doctor names, consultation prices or `VeterinaryCare` schema.
Foster, Volunteer or Support Shelter Pets
Foster applicants must be 18+
CCAS currently accepts foster applications for puppies, kittens, adult animals, seniors and parent-with-litter situations.
Community support roles vary
The shelter advertises volunteer opportunities involving animals, adoption events and other service projects. Use current onboarding instructions before arriving.
Supplies or monetary support
CCAS publishes a shelter wishlist and accepts donations supporting programs and services for animals in its care.
Other North Carolina Shelter Guides
Cleveland County Animal Services is the correct county route for Shelby-area shelter and Animal Services needs. If your animal, address or adoption search is outside Cleveland County, a different public shelter may serve you.
Charlotte / Mecklenburg County
For animal services east of Cleveland County, see our Charlotte Animal Shelter and Animal Care & Control guide for adoption, lost pets and Mecklenburg County service routing.
Iredell County
If your search is farther northeast toward Statesville, use the Iredell County Animal Shelter adoption and control guide rather than Cleveland County contacts.
Asheville / Buncombe County
For Western North Carolina pet adoption and animal-control routing, our Asheville Animal Shelter & Control guide explains the separate Buncombe County shelter and Asheville city enforcement roles.
Guilford County
For Greensboro-area shelter services, compare the process with the Guilford County Animal Shelter adoption and lost-pet guide .
Wake County
For Raleigh/Wake County adoption or lost-pet help, use the Wake County Animal Shelter guide for that county’s own animal-services process.
Map: Cleveland County Animal Services in Shelby
Use 1601 Airport Road, Shelby, NC 28150. If you are going specifically for one adoptable animal, a surrender appointment or a Tuesday visit after 4 PM, call first.
Official Cleveland County Animal Resources
The key information is already summarized above. Use these official pages for live animals, same-day changes, forms and final action.
Cleveland County Animal Shelter FAQ: Top 10 Questions
1. Where is Cleveland County Animal Shelter in North Carolina?
Cleveland County Animal Services is located at 1601 Airport Road, Shelby, NC 28150. The main phone number is 704-481-9884.
2. What are Cleveland County Animal Shelter hours in 2026?
The current dedicated Cleveland County Animal Services homepage and adoption page list Monday through Friday from 11 AM to 4 PM and Saturday from 11 AM to 3 PM. Sunday is closed except for special events. An older county page still shows Tuesday until 6 PM, so call before planning a Tuesday visit after 4 PM.
3. How much does it cost to adopt a dog from Cleveland County Animal Services?
The normal dog adoption fee is currently $40. Reduced-fee or fee-waived promotions may apply to certain animals and qualified adopters.
4. How much does it cost to adopt a cat?
The normal cat adoption fee is currently $10. CCAS also advertises a two-for-one cat promotion, and working-cat adoptions have no adoption fee.
5. What identification do I need to adopt?
Cleveland County Animal Services requires a valid government-issued photo ID such as a driver’s license, passport or identification card.
6. What is included with a Cleveland County pet adoption?
Dog and cat adoptions include an initial medical exam, deworming, core vaccination, rabies vaccination and tag, microchip registration and spay/neuter. Dogs also receive an initial heartworm screening.
7. How long does Cleveland County hold a stray pet?
CCAS says lost pets are held for a minimum of 72 hours before they may be evaluated for the adoption program. The adoption page describes this as three shelter business days after the animal becomes available for reclaim.
8. What should I do if I find a stray or need Animal Control?
Call Cleveland County Animal Services at 704-481-9884 and provide the exact location, animal description, safety risk and whether the animal is contained. Call 911 for an immediate emergency.
9. Does Cleveland County Animal Services offer rabies vaccinations?
Yes. The current shelter website advertises rabies vaccinations for $10 during regular operating hours. The shelter also publishes rabies and wildlife guidance for county residents.
10. Can I surrender my pet without an appointment?
No for normal non-emergency surrender. Cleveland County Animal Services is a managed-admissions shelter, and non-emergency owner surrender is appointment-only after a pre-intake counseling process and subject to available shelter or foster space.
Animal Shelter Action Planner: Lost Pet, Found Pet, Adoption, Reclaim & Surrender Helper
Use this free tool to create a practical next-step plan before visiting or contacting an animal shelter, humane society, rescue, or animal control agency. It does not search a live shelter database, but it helps you prepare the right documents, questions, safety steps, and official-source searches.
Build a USA-wide shelter action plan
Select your situation and location. The tool will create a general action plan, search links, call questions, and a copyable checklist.
Lost pet recovery checklist
Check the steps you have completed. This helps you stay organized during the first urgent hours and days.
Found pet safety decision helper
Use this when you find a stray or loose pet and need a safe next step.
Adoption readiness checker
This helps adopters prepare before visiting a shelter or rescue. It is not a guarantee of approval.
Pet reclaim document checklist
If your pet may be at a shelter, prepare proof before visiting. Exact requirements and fees vary by agency.
Owner surrender preparation helper
Surrender rules vary. Many shelters require appointments, proof of residence, behavior/medical information, and may offer alternatives.
Animal control contact decision helper
Choose the situation and get a general USA-wide contact path. Local rules may differ.
Adoption and first-month budget planner
This is a planning guide, not a shelter fee database. Always confirm adoption fees and included services with the shelter.
Your generated shelter plan
Your action plan, search links, call script, checklist, or budget guide will appear here.
Start with the Planner tab
Select your state, city/county/ZIP, pet type, and goal. The tool will create a practical USA-wide shelter action plan.
Privacy note: this tool runs in your browser. It does not send your entries to animal-shelter.org.