Galax Carroll Grayson Animal Shelter
200 Fair St,
Galax,
VA, 24333

Phone: 276-236-8501 - If we are busy the phone may not be answered so leave a message.

Opening Hours:
Tuesday - Thursday 1pm-5pm
Friday - Saturday 1pm-4pm
Closed Sunday and Monday

The pet in the photo (top right) is looking for a home. Click on the picture for more information about it.

Lost and Found Pets are featured on our Facebook Page

WARNING - KEEP YOUR PETS SAFE January and February is mating season for Coyotes and being related to dogs they may regard your dog as a mate or a rival or dinner! Do not let your dogs out alone and do not allow your outdoor cats to roam. Although Coyotes are prevalent in outlying and rural areas, they are also thriving in suburban and urban areas, and smaller towns as well. Coyote breeding typically peaks in late February and early March, the gestation period averages 58 to 63 days. Male Coyotes can become more aggressive during this time of year, the long and short of it all is that Coyotes always pose a risk to your dog (and other small pets). That risk increases during mating season. Spay/neuter your pets. Coyotes are attracted to and can mate with unspayed or unneutered domestic dogs. Unspayed female dogs in season can attract male Coyotes. Entire male dogs can be lured away by the scent of a female Coyote in her ovulation cycle. Additionally, male dogs can be lured by the female Coyotes scent and killed by male Coyotes. You should also be mindful that Coyotes are clever and learn the daily schedules of people and their pets. If you let your dog out every evening at 9 pm, chances are that a Coyote is well aware of your routine. He might be waiting in the shadows at 9 pm to attack your dog. So change your schedule a bit, walk your dog on leash close to you, and keep a close eye on them at all times. Click here for more information

Who we are
Owner surrendered dogs and dogs that have expired stray hold, are available for adoption/rescue for seven days (from the 'available date' to the 'last guaranteed day'). If they are still at the shelter after the 'last guaranteed day', we will re-evaluate for space in the shelter for incoming stray dogs, individual temperament, Etc. *If you are interested in a particular dog please contact us A.S.A.P. even before the available date. For more information see the Galax Carroll Grayson Animal Control website.

Adoption Fee includes Spay/Neuter, Vaccines and Microchip
One of the biggest hurdles the Shelter has faced has been the spaying and neutering of adopted animals. Virginia law requires all animals adopted from shelters be sterilized within 30 days of adoption. Until now, scheduling, paying for, and showing proof of the completed surgery has been the sole responsibility of the pet's new owners. Many adopters say that have not been able to get appointments within the mandated 30 days and others have cited the cost of the procedure as a hurdle to being able to adopt pets from the shelter.

The Shelter staff, along with all four of our local veterinary clinics, Carroll Veterinary Clinic, Galax Veterinary Clinic, Healing Springs Animal Hospital, and Mountain View Veterinary Clinic, have come together to help address this issue and promote wellness care for adopted animals. This program is known as PAWS (Pet Adoption Wellness Strategy).

The program will work as follows: On the day of adoption, new owners will pay $100 adoption fee for dogs and $85 for cats.

• The adoption fee for dogs includes spay or neuter, a rabies vaccine (given when the animal is sterilized), a DHPP (Distemper, Hepatitis, Parainfluenza and Parvovirus) vaccine, a bordetella vaccine and a microchip.
• The adoption fee for cats includes spay or neuter, a rabies vaccine (given when the animal is sterilized), feline FVRCP (Feline Viral rhinothracheitis, Calicivirus, and Panleukopenia) and a microchip.
• Adopters will leave the Shelter with an appointment already scheduled at one of our local vet clinics for the spay or neuter of their new pet. We hope this program will increase adoptions, lead to healthier pets, and reduce the number of unwanted animals within our community as animals from the shelter will be spayed/neutered in a more timely manner.

Thank you so much to the awesome doctors and staff of Carroll Veterinary Clinic, Galax Veterinary Clinic, Healing Springs Animal Hospital, and Mountain View Veterinary Clinic for their help and willingness to give this program a chance by agreeing to perform services for shelter animals at discounted rates.

The PAWS program is being subsidized through generous donations from Friends of the Shelter and other groups. To show support for PAWS, please send donations to: The Galax Carroll Grayson Animal Shelter, City of Galax, 111 East Grayson St., Galax, Va. 24333.

Volunteers Wanted
Love animals? We need volunteers to help us keep improving! You must be 16 years and older. You can come in anytime Monday-Saturday 9am-4pm. Becky, a shelter volunteer, has made it her passion to care for shelter cats. Here is what she says about volunteering at Galax Carroll Grayson Animal Shelter: "Being a volunteer is wonderful! There are so many different needs in the shelter that each person that volunteers can find a fit for their preferences and the amount of time he/she has to offer. I love interacting with the cats (but I love dogs too) and I am rewarded every time I am there. Kitten/puppy season is coming soon so we need all the help we can get!" If you would like to help please phone or visit us during our opening hours. See our application form here (Word docx).

TIME LIMIT FOR DOGS WHEN THE SHELTER IS FULL
Feb 10th 2023: The shelter has been staying at, or near capacity for several months now. Adoptions are down, rescues are full, and animals continue to be surrendered on a daily basis. The shelter staff has had to make a difficult decision to limit how long we can hold the animals. Starting 2/10/23 dogs that are owner surrendered or that have an expired stray hold will be held for seven days, and then re-evaluated. For example. Owner surrendered animals will be made available for immediate adoption, then available for rescue or adoption the next day. If they are still here after 7 days, we will re-evaluate for space in the shelter, individual temperament,etc. Stray animals will be held for their stray period and then follow the guidelines above for owner surrender animals. If you see an animal you are interested in, please do not wait. This is a decision we do not make lightly. The shelter can not constantly operate under full capacity, as it is increases the chance of disease outbreak and is stressful to the animals in our care.

The shelter has once again been blessed by a generous lifesaving gift from Petco Foundation. We realize that healthcare of shelter pets as a priority, and are on our way to establishing a vaccination protocol for all cats upon intake at the shelter. We are so excited to be working and improving together. Want to get involved? Ask us how you can help.

Lost your dog?
Stray dogs without identication are kept for 5 days before being put up for adoption. Dogs with identication are kept for 10 days before being put up for adoption. Contact the shelter to check whether your pet is there. Some of the stray dogs are featured on the Galax Carroll Grayson Animal Shelter Facebook Page but not all are put here so contact the shelter if you have lost your dog.

Find the right dog for you
When looking for that new family member please remember to really think about the things you and your family want and need in a pet that fits the family lifestyle. Get to know your breeds! Some breeds require more space, exercise and circumstances than others. Even if you are going to adopt a mixed breed, look into what it's primary breed needs in a home, environment and exercise. Your new family member needs to be wanted by everyone in the family and included in your daily lives to be truly happy. Click here for more information on how to find the right dog.

Cats Needing Homes
Please take the time to check out all the nice young kittens and cats kittens and cats here. Please contact us for more information about the cats available for adoption.

Please Donate to Help the Dogs
We need canned cat food, puppy potty pads, canned dog food, kitten chow (canned or hard), puppy chow (canned or hard), basic cleaning supplies, towels, blankets, and dog beds. We appreciate any and all donations. Clicking here to see our donation page.
On behalf of the dogs thank you.

No Squeeky Toys Please
Toys that make a noise when you squeeze them can encourage some dogs to be aggressive towards young children because they squeek too. The device that makes the noise is usually small and can be harmful if swallowed. Some toys of this type contain a small battery which is poisonous if the dog eats it. The best toys are tuggers, tennis balls and hard chew toys that cannot be ripped apart.

Changes to Dog Tethering Law From July 1, 2020, there are changes to dog tethering laws across the state of Virginia. The legislation expanded the definition of 'adequate shelter' for family dogs. It is illegal to leave tethered dogs outside when temperatures are below 32°F or above 85°F or when the weather service issues warnings for hurricanes, tornadoes and other severe weather. The legislation also increases the minimum length of a tether from 10 feet to 15 feet. Additionally, dogs must be provided adequate shelter during hot weather that is properly shaded and does not readily conduct heat. During cold weather, the shelter must have a windbreak at its entrance and provide bedding material (such as straw, cedar shavings, or similar) that is sufficient to protect the animal from cold and promote the retention of body heat. Adequate Shelter Virgina Code 3.2-6500 Click here for more information

Visiting Galax Carroll Grayson Animal Shelter
Please phone us on 276-236-8501 to check that the dog you want to visit is still available.
Location Map of Galax, VA