Dog adoption
Includes spay or neuter, microchip, age appropriate vaccines, heartworm test and a collar.
Serving Buncombe County since 1994
Every animal that comes through the door gets a plan
We take in strays, owner surrenders and transfers from overcrowded county pounds. Medical care, behavior work and foster placement happen before an animal ever hits the adoption floor.
1,940placed last year
92%live release rate
210active foster homes
31 yrsin the county
What we do
Adoption, clinics and help keeping pets at home
Adoption fees cover a fraction of an animal's care, the rest comes from donors and grants.
Cat and kitten adoption
Spay or neuter, microchip, FVRCP and rabies, FeLV and FIV tested before placement.
Senior pet adoption
Animals over eight go home at no fee, with their first 60 days of medication covered.
Low cost spay and neuter clinic
Wednesday and Thursday surgery days for community pets, income based sliding scale available.
Pet food pantry
Monthly food, litter and flea prevention for households at risk of surrendering for cost reasons.
Community cat trap neuter return
Traps loaned, surgery, ear tip and rabies vaccine for feral colonies, returned to their territory.
About the shelter
Open admission, which means we do not turn animals away
Marston Creek started in a converted dairy barn in 1994 and now runs a purpose built 60 kennel facility plus a foster network that holds twice that many animals at any time. Open admission means we take the hard cases, the heartworm positive hounds and the undersocialized barn cats, and we budget for them.
•All medical and behavior work completed before adoption, no surprises at home
•Two week adopter support line staffed by our behavior team
•Return policy for life, an animal adopted here always has a place to come back to
Reviews
From adopters and volunteers
“They were honest that our dog would need months of decompression, gave us a written plan, and called to check in three times. That honesty is why the adoption worked.”
Renee B., Adopted a shepherd mix
“I could not afford my cat's spay and was close to giving her up. The clinic did it for sixty five dollars and gave me flea prevention on the way out.”
Josh D., Spay clinic client
“Fostering here is well organized. Supplies, vet care and a real person to call at nine at night when a bottle baby will not eat.”
Marianne C., Foster since 2019
FAQ
Adoption and surrender questions
What is the adoption process?
Come meet animals during open hours, no appointment needed. If you find a match you fill out a short application, we talk through your household and any current pets, and dogs meet resident dogs on our lawn. Most adoptions finish the same day, and the animal goes home with you unless surgery is still pending.
I need to surrender my pet. What happens?
Call us first. Roughly a third of the time we can solve the actual problem with food assistance, a fence grant, a behavior consult or help finding pet friendly housing, and the animal stays home. If surrender is the right answer we schedule an intake appointment so the animal moves straight into a prepared space rather than waiting in a lobby.
Do you euthanize for space?
No. Our live release rate is 92 percent and euthanasia is limited to untreatable medical suffering or a documented history of serious aggression, decided by our veterinarian and behavior lead together, never by kennel count. When we are full we lean on foster homes and transfer partners.
Can I volunteer, and what is the commitment?
Yes, and we need dog walkers most. Orientation runs the first Saturday of each month, takes two hours, and after that we ask for one four hour shift every two weeks. Volunteers must be 16 or older, or 12 and up when working alongside a parent in the cat rooms.
Contact
Visit, foster or ask about an animal
Walk in during open hours to meet animals. For surrender, lost pets or clinic appointments, call and we will get you to the right person.
Phone(828) 555-0163
Address77 Marston Creek Rd, Asheville, North Carolina
HoursTue to Sat 11am to 6pm, Sun 12pm to 4pm, closed Mon
AreaBuncombe County and surrounding communities