About Us

The History of ACN...

Animal Compassion Network (ACN) was founded in 1997 when a group of seven determined citizens from across Western North Carolina refused to accept that enough was being done to help homeless animals in our area. They resolved to follow a no-kill philosophy, raised a few hundred dollars for supplies, and recruited a handful of willing foster homes. But they quickly ran into a road block when one local shelter refused to release animals to these people with their “crazy” notion that euthanasia was not the only option for an unwanted pet. Unwilling to give up, the founders began a campaign to improve the relationship between this shelter and ACN. Visiting the facility every day, the founders jumped in to offer assistance whenever the opportunity arose and made it clear with their polite resolve that they were not going away. Over time, they earned the shelter manager’s trust and were eventually rewarded with the first transfer of animals out of the shelter and into ACN foster homes. Before long, the public - supportive of the organization’s no-kill policy - began to seek out ACN events to adopt a pet. In 1998, having gained in popularity and boasting almost 100 members, ACN incorporated into a non-profit organization.

As word spread that there was a group that would take in an animal and find them a new home, the founders’ phones started ringing off the hook with people who had heart-wrenching reasons why they had to give up their pet. Realizing that these pets were destined for the shelter anyway, the founders agreed to intercede in the most desperate situations. It came as a great surprise to the founders when the public willingly agreed to keep their pets until a foster space opened, and, before long, the founders began connecting potential adopters with these wait-listed pets. ACN covered the cost of the spaying and neutering and vaccines before the transfer to the new home took place and recovered their expenses through an adoption fee. Eventually, the wait-listed families were invited to bring their animals to the ACN adoption events with much success, and the founders quickly realized they had hit on a unique way to save so many more pets. This serendipitous discovery became the precursor for ACN’s groundbreaking Public Partner Program, turning the general public into foster homes for their own pets. Using this innovative program, ACN was soon able to increase the number of foster animals from less than 20 to over 100.

By 2000, the founders realized that they were not making much headway against the overwhelming number of unwanted animals entering local shelters – especially litters of puppies and kittens. They knew the key was to help pet guardians who could not afford to spay/neuter their own pets, so they created the Betty Fund, a spay/neuter assistance program for low-income pet guardians. They also initiated a Pet Food Assistance Program to feed the area's hungry pets. Thanks to their dedicated volunteers and ever-increasing financial support from the public, ACN continued to grow steadily between 2000 and 2003. In August 2003, the organization took its next major step in development when they brought a professional executive director onboard.

Krista Luck with ACN's Public Education Program

Today, Animal Compassion Network is proud to be the largest, non-profit, safe-for-life animal welfare organization in Western North Carolina with over 140 foster animals. We continue to augment lifesaving and life-improving programs as new areas of need arise, including a Dog House Program, a public education program, and a referral service designed to keep pets who already have homes in them. We also respond to local and national emergencies, such as Hurricane Katrina, when called upon and serve as a driving force in legislative change towards more compassionate animal laws. 

Since 1997, ACN has placed over 7500 homeless pets into carefully screened adoptive homes, fed more than 8800 hungry animals, and assisted in the spaying and neutering of over 10,000 Western North Carolina cats and dogs. The non-profit has grown to over 6200 members, volunteers and supporters.

But until Western North Carolina becomes a region that no longer relies on euthanasia to control pet overpopulation, ACN will continue to work diligently on behalf of the animals who depend on us for a better life. A huge step towards this goal has been taken already in Buncombe County with the formation of Countdown to Zero, a coalition of area rescue groups, including Animal Compassion Network, formed with the mission to stop the euthanasia of healthy animals in Buncombe County by 2012.

In March of 2008, ACN took another bold step when we opened Pet Harmony, a pet store for rescued pets, aimed at making second-chance pets everyone’s first choice. With our roots deeply entrenched in the pioneering spirit, we are determined to succeed. The only question that remains is how long it will take, and that can only be determined by our ability to grow through the support of like-minded individuals - people like you who are equally determined to put an end to animal suffering in Western North Carolina.

How We Grow:

Funding: ACN spends over $200,000 annually to ease the suffering and give a better life to companion animals, but we receive no government funding. Every cent that we put into our lifesaving programs come from donations, grants, membership dues and fundraising events.  You can make a one-time donation by clicking here or become an ACN member by clicking here.

You can also make donations of needed supplies (see our wish list in the left sidebar).

Volunteers: Volunteers are the backbone of ACN. Time is a very valuable thing to each one of us, but a small donation of your time means so much to an animal waiting for help to arrive. Volunteers donate their time in large and small increments, and all of it keeps ACN moving forward. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please contact us.

You can also fill out a volunteer application online here.

We have volunteer opportunities for anywhere from one hour a month to forty hours a week.

Membership: ACN relies on membership dues to fund our lifesaving work. And by becoming a Member you will receive discounts from area businesses, including Pet Harmony (see Member Benefits). If you would like to support ACN by becoming a member, simply complete the Membership form online or fill out the Membership Form (printable PDF) found at the bottom of the membership page and mail it to the address listed. A membership package will be mailed to you shortly.

Shopping: The retail sales, grooming and training we offer at Pet Harmony is vital to the success of this pet store for rescued pets. All of the proceeds from our retail sales and a large percentage of the proceeds from our grooming and training fees supports our adoption center at Pet Harmony. Shopping at Pet Harmony saves the lives of local animals in need!