Our Programs

A New Leash on Life

The Forsyth Humane Society and the North Carolina Department of Correction have partnered to bring A New Leash on Life to the minimum-security Forsyth Correctional Facility in Winston-Salem. Homeless dogs are paired with qualifying prisoners, and receive socialization, crate-training, basic obedience skills, and agility training.

Inmates must go through an extensive application process before being approved into the program. Qualifying inmates work with professional dog trainers, and learn positive-reinforcement training methods. For eight weeks, the dogs live and work with the inmate-trainers, sleeping in a special Doggie Dorm at night. After "graduating" from the program, the dogs are ready to become the newest member of an adoptive family, and another dog is teamed with an inmate trainer.

A New Leash on Life offers both humans and canines a new chance, helping inmates become productive members of society, and offering dogs the necessary training to be welcome members of a family. Inmates get a sense of pride and self-esteem, and a marketable skill. Perhaps best of all, inmates learn patience and compassion, and both men and dogs learn how to give and receive unconditional love.

This program receives no state funding, and is dependent upon community donations. To find out more about this program, or to make a donation, please contact our Interim Executive Director, Anne Griffin.

Low Cost Spay/Neuter Programs

The FHS provides coordination and implementation of the Olivia and Edwina Morykwas Spay/Neuter Fund and the Sturmer Spay/Neuter program as overseen by the Winston-Salem Foundation. This program provides financial assistance to any low income person (as defined by HUD) in Forsyth County for their dog’s or cat's spay/neuter surgery. If you would like to apply for spay/neuter assistance, please call or drop by the facility on Miller Street, or download an application English or Spanish.

Some financial assistance is also available for necessary vaccinations. If you would like to apply, please call or drop by our facility on Miller Street.

Safe Harbor

The FHS is licensed by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture to shelter up to 50 animals at one time. Our 1800 square foot, two-story facility sits on just .7 acres located at 61 Miller Street. The shelter has 5 dog runs, 2 dog play pens, 16 cat kennels, and 8 feline infirmary/quarantine cages.

All animals must first be registered by phone and placed on an available animal list kept at our facility. As space becomes available, animals are admitted into the facility by appointment with the Adoption Center Manager. After admission, each new animal is held in quarantine for a minimum of 48 hours to allow our staff to observe the animal for any potential illness or behavior problem. Only after this quarantine period is the animal available for adoption.

We strive to admit adoptable animals as quickly as possible. Ours is a "no-kill" facility. Space in our shelter becomes available only as fast as our residents are adopted. That is a great reason to encourage everyone you know to adopt their next pet from FHS. The more animals adopted from us, the more animals we can help.

Animal Adoption and Counseling

We strive to keep a broad selection of cats and dogs, kittens and puppies on-site giving visitors a variety of sizes, colors, ages, and fur lengths to select from. Animals at the facility are available for adoption on a first-come first-serve basis. All animals adopted through the FHS are spayed/neutered as a condition of adoption.

Our staff and phone volunteers counsel families regarding animal adoption. We help families understand the financial cost of owning a pet as well as the time commitment required. We counsel families to understand the potential dangers of matching young kittens with young toddlers, or the danger of giving a pet as a gift to an unknowing individual. Additionally we provide resource information on a variety of topics including: crate training, house breaking, barking, jumping, nutrition, grooming, and exercise, to name just a few.

Lost and Found

If you lose or find a pet, we recommend that you act quickly!

• Post signs in the area where the pet was lost or found, at local vet offices, and here at our facility on Miller Street.



• Create a lost or found pet posting and examine the existing postings on the Lassie Come Home website and the Forsyth County Animal Control website.



• Contact Lassie Come Home, a not-for profit organization dedicated to reuniting lost pets with their owners at 336-789-7900.



• Go to the Forsyth County Animal Control offices on Sturmer Park Circle to see if your lost pet has been surrendered to or picked up by them. Visit them at least three times a week until your pet has been found. Click here for a map.



• Place an ad in your local newspaper and/or check the "Found Animal" ads as well. The Winston-Salem Journal will place a "Found Animal" ad at no charge to the finder.



• Contact local breed rescue groups.

Remember, having your pet micro-chipped for identification will greatly increase your chances of having your pet returned to you if lost. Spaying or neutering your pet will reduce its desire to wander far from home.

Education and Speakers Bureau

Our Education/Special Events Manager is available to speak to your club, church, classroom assembly, day care center, or camp to teach responsible pet ownership, benefits of spay/neuter, and how you can make a difference, etc. Call us for more info at 336-721-1303 ext. 102.

Community Phone Referral Services

The FHS provides referral phone services linking callers to a variety of area resources including:

• wildlife rescue
• Forsyth County Animal Control
• abuse investigations
• feral cat spay/neuter assistance
• other humane groups, other animal rescue organizations, dead animal collection, etc.

If you are not on our list, get us your information and all updates. See our current listing of area resources. Here are some links to other websites as well.

Cat Trap Rental Program

We rent cat traps on a first-come first-serve basis. When all traps are out we do maintain a next-in-line waiting list. We require a $60 cash deposit when you rent the trap. Once you set a trap you must check on it every 2 to 3 hours to be sure that a trapped animal is not left without water, etc. Trapped cats cannot be brought to our facility when caught. If you trap a "tame" cat, it can be listed at the facility as available.

If you need help removing the cat from the trap you may take the trap (with the animal inside) to Animal Control. They will remove the cat from the cage, take it, and process it per their procedures. You must then return the trap to us.

Critter Camp

Critter Camp is a week long day camp designed for children aged 8 to 13. We run two summer sessions. Students participate in several field trips including ones to the N.C. Zoo, Greyhound Friends, behind-the-scenes tours of two local vet offices, and more. It is both an educational and fun time for all involved. If interested in enrollment, call FHS in early spring as these camps fill quickly.

Critter Cuddling

Trained FHS volunteers take their own pets for social visits to area nursing homes, hospitals, etc. bringing animal sharing and companionship to those persons who miss having their own animal companions.

Legislative Advocacy

The FHS continues to have an interest in animal issues and the legislation about them. In general, we promote humane solutions to problems, spaying and neutering, and responsible pet ownership. If you know of an issue pending in legislation and believe we would have an interest in it, please contact the Board President, Quincy Harvey at 336-721-1303.

Emergency Collection & Distribution Site

In times of need, the FHS serves as a collection site for animal-related donations such as food, supplies, portable kennels, etc. Arrangements for delivery of these supplies is then coordinated with other community groups or other humane animal organizations.