Watauga Humane Society was incorporated in December of 1969. We are a not-for-profit charitable organization and dedicated to all aspects of animal welfare. The Watauga Humane Society animal shelter is located off of Casey Lane in Boone, NC.
The shelter has facilities for the housing and care of homeless dogs and cats. We provide food, shelter, medical care and lots of love to the homeless animals at our shelter and we work to find permanent, loving homes for them. In an effort to help control the pet population, we offer low-cost spay/neuter through our partnership with Humane Alliance in Asheville.
1969:
In October 1969, ten farsighted members of the Boone community signed the articles of incorporation of the Humane Society of Watauga County. Businessman and retired Colonel Clyde Miller of Miller Industries was the instigator. Another of these people was Rachel Coffey, editor and owner of the Watauga Democrat, the local newspaper. Northwestern Bank vice-president Velma Burnley, now the mayor of Boone, was also one of these signers. The Boone Area Chamber of Commerce sponsored the organization.
The goal was to push for animal control in a rural Appalachian county where the average annual income lags behind more urban parts of North Carolina. In this high elevation corner of the state, lost or abused animals are subject to the most severe weather in the South. The need was so great that the newspaper's support led to animals being turned in to Rachel Coffey.
Dr. John Martin, a local veterinarian, went to the Town of Boone asking for help. Soon, two small kennels were erected at the present location, adjacent to the town's sewer plant and the Town of Boone agreed to let the Society rent this land for $1 per year. It also permitted the town employee at the plant to take in and adopt out animals. At first, pets were given away. But realizing that people put little value on free animals, an adoption fee of $5 was instituted.
Members Pat and Mike Cade moved to Boone from Louisiana and brought new ideas and experiences to the Society. Soon memberships were sought, obedience classes were held, and twice a year rabies clinics were offered. The rabies clinics were held at county schools and not only provided a valuable service to the community, but raised much-needed money for the Society. Pat Cade was way ahead of the time in her knowledge and dedication to the notion of spaying and neutering animals. The Society launched an annual spay and neuter campaign with local vets reducing their fees and the Society contributing to the cost.
1985:
Ten years of savings and the generosity of one couple allowed us to build the present cat "mall" and a spacious office in 1985. Before that change, the cats were in cages in a small area which also served as the office. It was impossible to even open the door to the office without hitting the desk. There was absolutely no isolation or quiet place for the sick cats or nursing mothers and babies. The public squeezed into the cat cages room; there was no place for them to choose an animal. This also resulted in little or no control of disease.
In 1989, a push was made to raise funds to construct a new shelter on the present location. It was unsuccessful. In 1997, the Society was "challenged" by the Turchin family to raise an amount equal to the funds they offered to donate. The campaign was extremely successful with the Society raising $90,000 but flood plain law changes prevented us from updating or adding to the current location.
Cat Room
2000:
In order to reduce the confusion between Watauga County Animal Control, a county-run facility that was launched in intervening years, and the Society's animal shelter, the Humane Society of Watauga County, NC changed its name to the Watauga Humane Society in May of 2000.
Through the years, the Society diligently continued to search for suitable property. We advertised for land, contacted all of the Realtors in the area, even wrote to every landowner in Watauga County ~ with no success. In May of 2003, the perfect piece of land in the perfect location was found by one of our members. Thirteen acres were purchased. The property already includes a small house that is the new home for our thrift shop, the Bare Bones Boutique. The manager's home will be built on the premises.
The property has ample room for a much-needed dog park, agility courses, and dog walking trails. The Society is planning a state-of-the-art facility and is committed to creating an environmentally sensitive, or "green" structure, in harmony with a significant piece of property as the shelter site borders the Blue Ridge Parkway.
The Watauga Humane Society maintains an exceptional shelter, despite the fact that the kennels have been pieced together over the past 24 years and are woefully inadequate to meet the need. Nevertheless, the care, health, and love offered to our animals is beyond comparison.
Dee Dundon, Early President of Watauga Humane Society Board of Directors
