About Us
Saving Grace visits shelters across North Carolina to find adoptable dogs that just need a ‘second chance.’ We also take a lot of dogs in critical situations: dogs from puppy mills, or seized in cruelty cases, or abandoned in natural disasters or at a veterinary clinic when their owner dies.
We are not a public facility and can not accept any stray, abandoned or surrendered pets directly. Our role is to get rescued animals medically and emotionally ready for adoption and a great life!
Saving Grace was established in 2004 at a private residence and farm with the goal of serving those animals most in need of help in North Carolina. Animals come from areas with extremely limited resources where euthanasia rates are high.
The large majority of these underserved animals arrive at Saving Grace with limited to no prior medical care. As a non-profit, Saving Grace relies solely on donations to provide this much needed medical care and housing in order to make adoption possible for these many animals.
Saving Grace strives to provide a more natural and non-traditional shelter environment for dogs to interact with others and exhibit their natural behaviors while awaiting their forever homes. Our Funny Farm setting allows adopters to mingle and interact with a variety of dogs and choose a new companion based on temperament and suitability for their home and family.
Saving Grace is operated in majority by a hardworking and dedicated volunteer and foster base. This team is dedicated to finding an ever-changing but always special group of dogs an equally special family like yours.
How it Works
Step 1: Find the dogs to rescue
Our team visits many shelters throughout the state to evaluate available animals and “pull” those who just need a second chance to find a loving forever home.
Step 2: Transport the dogs to Saving Grace
Once the team selects dogs to come to Saving Grace, our transport team gets. on the road to bring them to Wake Forest.
Step 3: Spay/Neuter and deal with medical issues
Most of the dogs we find in the shelters have not been spayed or neutered, and many have medical issues (heartworms, injuries, parasites) that need to be addressed before they can be adopted out.
All animals that pass through Saving Grace are spayed or neutered. We have a heartworm treatment protocol for any dog that test positive. Most of our heartworm positive dogs recover and go on to live happy lives.
Step 4: Spend time in a foster home
When our dogs first arrive, many of them are not ready to be adopted. They need some time to recover from medical issues, get acclimated to being around people and other dogs, and just learn what it is like to get some TLC!
Step 5: Get Adopted!
Once a dog has had a little bit of time to adjust and recover from their previous situation, they’ll get a writeup on Shelterluv and be available for adoption. While you may fall in love with someone from the Our Dogs page, make an appointment to come out to the farm for a meet and greet. You may be surprised at who stands out!
Step 6: Adoption follow-up
Many of our dogs get adopted and the next thing we hear is their “Happy Tail” about how they are fitting in with their new family. For heartworm positive dogs, there may be some followup needed at the farm to ensure that your dog’s treatment is complete. At the time of adoption, we’ll go through all of this with you!
