ABOUT THE COASTAL HUMANE SOCIETY
Coastal Humane Society was founded as a North Carolina 501(c)3 non-profit organization in 1997 by a small group of women on the Outer Banks (OBX) who loved their pets and wanted to ensure that everyone experiences the joy of pets as family members. Upon learning that some good, caring people were giving up their pets due to financial hardships, they took immediate action.
They invited our local veterinarians to join the effort. The veterinarians quickly came on board because they knew first-hand that some families — who loved their pets — faced difficulties paying for unexpected care. They encouraged Coastal Humane Society to target pet medical health in its mission.
By 1997’s end, the organization’s agenda of helping pay for pet vaccinations and spaying and neutering along with helping with unexpected and emergency medical care was set.
We are proud that our small, all-volunteer nonprofit, supported entirely by community donations, has helped over 12,000 OBX pets and their families since 1997. We were founded to fill a hole in the OBX community’s animal welfare safety net — 29 years later, we still are.
OUR MISSION
Coastal Humane Society celebrates the bond between people and their pets for everyone in the OBX community by helping people who live in Dare and lower Currituck counties care for their pets. Our mission is to ensure that all OBX pets and their people stay together; pets are healthier; and no one is forced to give up or compromise a pet’s care due to financial hardship.
CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
“We could never thank you enough for your generous donation. Because of you, Duke gets to walk again! He’s doing great! Back to his normal self…and so happy!” – Madeline, Jeff, and Duke
“Thank you so much for helping me pay for my surgery and vet bills. My Mom and Dad thank you too and I am feeling so much better after my vet removed the bladder stones. See you in March for the Walk!” – Peanut
“Coastal Humane Society has partnered with Coastal Animal Hospital for over 18 years and they have helped save the life of many beloved pets that an owner would have otherwise had to give up or make an unbearable decision of putting down. It is one of the only organizations that has continued to help owners … during Covid and [with] limited funds, due to not being able to have fundraisers. It is a worthwhile and needed organization to keep families and their fur babies together….” – Jennifer Woods, Practice Manager, Coastal Animal Hospital.
“We thank you so much for helping us keep our sweet baby Maddie healthy…. It is ‘hard to swallow’ being almost 50 years old and needing financial help. We thank you for making us feel welcome to your support.” – Anonymous
HOW WE HELP
Spay/Neuter Assistance
Cost-sharing program among owners, Coastal Humane Society and our veterinary partners where pets are spayed or neutered at a discounted cost.
Pet Vaccinations
Vaccination clinics where pets receive their annual vaccinations from one of Coastal Humane Society’s veterinary partners at a discounted cost.
Emergency Medical Care
Payment for a veterinary office visit if your pet is sick or injured.
Expensive Medical Care
Contribution toward veterinary costs for surgical procedures, end-of-life care, and other expensive treatments.
OBX-wide Emergencies
Donations of pet food and supplies to help pet owners recover from hurricanes and other natural disasters.
Long-term help responding to community-wide needs
Special projects like Operation Fresh Air for Pets that donated 65 pet resuscitation kits to local fire departments, Operation Feed Our Pets (with Feline Hope and Friends of Felines-Hatteras Island) that donated over 10,000 lbs of pet food to the community, Operation Healthy Pets that will help spay/neuter 180 pets, and Help a Dog’s Heart that provides free heartworm testing and assistance with the costs of heartworm prevention and treatment.
