Welcome to the ACR&S, a privately run, 501(c)3 non-profit animal rescue organization.
We focus on rescuing small domesticated exotic animals such as guinea pigs and rabbits, which have needs that often cannot be met by regular animal shelters. We also help with rehabilitating wildlife and placing other animals, such as livestock, with other specialized rescue groups.
Our adoption and rescue efforts are focused in central North Carolina, but we work closely with rescues in surrounding states. We also have a Sanctuary for elderly or unadoptable animals, which is currently located in Madison, Wisconsin.
ACR&S' success is wholly dependant on our network of specialized rescue groups, foster homes, and volunteers. If you would like to help or join us in any capacity please contact us.
ACR&S News
NEW - Unfortunately, due to rising gasoline costs, we are no longer able to travel to place animals outside North Carolina. We can still help you via email, by guiding you to other members of our network of out-of-state shelters and rescues, who can help you find the perfect pet locally!
Check out the ACR&S Blog
ACR&S now has a blog where we will be making twice weekly posts about our animals, our philosophy, and the trials and tribulations of rescue. Check it out at blog.allcreaturesrescue.org!
CreatureCraft Now Making Custom Products!
CreatureCraft is ACR&S primary fundraising effort. We accept donations of art or craft items for resale, with 100% of the proceeds going to direct animal care!
CreatureCraft is now offering customized pet products through our CafePress store. If you have a pet picture that you'd like to see on any of our products, just email us! We'll perform all of the artistic magic to give you a gorgeous item with your very own pet's picture on it, and then you can buy it on any product you like!
Volunteer for ACR&S
ACR&S is looking for volunteers! Opportunities include:
- Become an ACR&S Foster Home! Care for a fuzzy friend or two while helping them find their forever homes!
- Shelter Outreach - If you love small animals but don't have room in your own home, we are looking for volunteers to visit local animal shelters and help with education and husbandry! You must be willing to attend the volunteer orientation at your chosen shelter, and make a minimum commitment of one shelter visit per month.
- Public Outreach - Print and post brochures at your local vet clinic or organic grocery store to help spread the word about adoptable animals in your area!
- Fundraising - Our ability to take in new animals is limited by funding; it takes at least $250 to rescue a single guinea pig or rabbit! Since we only charge $40 as an adoption fee, we need to have about $200 on hand before we can take in even one animal! Help us by collecting change at your business, school, or church, selling fun stuff in our Holiday fundraising drives, or donating art and craft items for sale through CreatureCraft!
Don't forget your local animal shelter!
All of the local animal shelters have small animals available for adoption. These animals need adoptive homes even more than our animals, because shelters cannot keep their animals indefinitely. We try to take their animals when we have room, so even if you can just foster for them, it helps us help them! Please check out their websites to see their adoptable and fosterable animals:
Orange County Animal Shelter - frequently has guinea pigs and rabbits, see our own Petfinder pages for a list of their current exotic pets.
Durham County Animal Shelter - Very frequently gets guinea pigs and rabbits.
SPCA of Wake County (Garner) - Has a wonderful program for bunny rabbits, and often has a guinea pig or two.
Wake County Animal Shelter - They don't list their small animals on the web, so you'll have to call or drive by to see if they have anything. They really don't have the facilities to take exotic pets but sometimes they must. Their adoption fee is only $5!
Is there anything you would like to see ACR&S add to the site, or recommendations you'd like to make? Don't hesitate to email us with your suggestions.
WE NEED DONATIONS
Every month it costs over $300 to purchase hay and pellets for our animals.
Every WEEK we go through $50 in fresh veggies! We do this all by ourselves,
with no government funding. ANY size donation
is welcome - Just 50 cents buys a bunch of parsley! Please consider
donating using the PayPal button below. You can also now donate by check, made out to ACR&S or All Creatures Rescue & Sanctuary. Please send your check to:
PO Box 1231
Apex, NC 27502
(919) 249-7758