Home >> Victoria's Blog >> Cashiers-Highlands Humane Society – A Model Shelter and a Great Fundraiser

Cashiers-Highlands Humane Society – A Model Shelter and a Great Fundraiser

By: Victoria Stilwell

I had the pleasure of visiting the Cashiers-Highlands Humane Society in Cashiers, NC, and was also the featured presenter at their annual fundraising event, "A Celebration of Humane Heroes."

I was so impressed by the facility itself, the incredible staff and volunteers, and especially their commitment to serving the needs of the surrounding community. I have been to many shelters over the years, but I was still blown away by the compassion everyone connected to this shelter has for each animal in their care. They have become a critical liaison for the community and have prevented countless dogs from being euthanized or abandoned. Beyond that, they are doing a fantastic job educating the community about responsible pet ownership and providing low-cost spay/neuter and vaccination options.

The day of the event, I was invited to tour the facility. The shelter is nestled in the North Carolina mountains, and the dogs have beautiful grassy areas where they can enjoy the outdoors on sunny days. The staff knows each dog's name and personality, and the dogs stay there until they are adopted--as long as it takes.

The shelter is in the process of adding a new adoption center to the facility. This will allow them to house more animals, and will improve the overall flow and dynamics of the shelter.

I was also amazed by their H.E.A.R.T vehicle, an incredible trailer that is used for mobile adoptions, animal rescue, as well as low-cost spay and neuter and vaccination clinics. There's even a full surgery suite on board.

At the shelter, I chose several dogs (from a tiny Labrador puppy to a beautiful pit bull mix) to use in my talk at the Celebration of Humane Heroes event. The event took place at the beautiful Farm at the Old Edwards Inn in Highlands, NC, and was an absolutely amazing night. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to talk about positive training and demonstrate some basic training with some of the shelter dogs.

As the night drew to a close, I was honored to be one of the recipients of the 2014 Humane Hero Awards. I couldn't be happier to accept such a meaningful award from a model shelter and such an exemplary staff, and to have been part of a beautiful evening.

Learn more about the Cashiers-Highlands Humane Society. 

---

---