Beautiful Together rescues animals who have been abused, abandoned, or neglected. They come into our care most often from:
Overcrowded, high-intake animal shelters where space and resources are limited and animals are at risk simply due to capacity.
Situations involving abuse, where animals have experienced intentional harm, cruelty, or prolonged suffering.
Cases of neglect, including animals left without adequate food, water, shelter, veterinary care, or basic human attention.
Abandonment – pets dumped on roadsides, left behind when families move, or surrendered without any plan for their care.
Inhumane living conditions, including backyard breeding operations, hoarding situations, and dogs kept on chains or confined for long period.
Stray animals found living on the streets, often injured, malnourished, or exposed to extreme weather and danger.
Animals born into unsafe conditions, including puppies and kittens born to unspayed mothers without access to proper care.
Protecting animals is a shared responsibility.
Meaningful change happens when people speak up with care, document concerns responsibly, and take thoughtful action.
Animal abuse, neglect, and abandonment are illegal in North Carolina:
Animal Abuse generally refers to intentionally hurting an animal or causing unnecessary pain, suffering, or death.
Animal Neglect includes failing to provide basic needs such as adequate food, clean water, shelter, or needed medical care, when that failure causes harm or ongoing suffering.
Animal Abandonment means willfully leaving an animal without care or supervision – such as dumping an animal or walking away from responsibility entirely – placing them at serious risk.
If you witness animal cruelty or neglect, taking the right steps can make a real difference.
Document what you observe as clearly as possible. Take photos or videos that include visible time and date stamps, and capture the surroundings to show location and conditions.
Write down what you witnessed as soon as you can. Include dates, times, addresses or landmarks, the number and type of animals involved, and a factual description of what you saw without speculation.
If an animal is in immediate danger, contact local law enforcement right away by calling 911 or your local non-emergency police number if the situation is urgent but not life-threatening.
Report suspected cruelty or neglect to your local animal control agency or county sheriff’s office.
In North Carolina, animal cruelty investigations are typically handled at the county level. To find the correct contact, you can search online for “Your County Name NC, animal control” or “Your County Name NC, sheriff animal cruelty”.
Do not trespass or put yourself at risk to gather evidence.
If the animal is not helped in a timely manner, continue monitoring their situation and keep copies of your photos, videos, and notes in case investigators need additional information later.
