TARA Rescue is a foster-based, all-volunteer group. We know rescue can be confusing, so we’ve gathered answers to the questions we hear most often.
If you don’t see your question here, you’re always welcome to reach out via our Facebook Page or the contact page.
A quick overview of who we are, how we operate, and why we do things the way we do.
No. TARA is not a public shelter. We are a foster-based rescue group. Our animals live in private foster homes in Hoke and Cumberland counties, not in a central building that you can visit.
We partner with local businesses, including PetSmart (Skibo Rd.) and others, to host adoption events and meet-and-greets.
We choose to focus our limited time and resources on keeping a smaller number of animals in comfortable, home-based environments instead of maintaining a large, high-volume facility.
Shelters serve an incredibly important purpose and we work alongside them. TARA is that “in-between” step: the bridge between shelter and permanent home.
The easiest way is to visit us at one of our regular adoption events. You can find details on our Adopt page and social media.
We can also arrange meet-and-greets by request, depending on foster availability. Some fosters are not comfortable having visitors in their homes, and we respect that, so many meetings happen in neutral, public locations.
The fastest way to reach us is by messaging our Facebook Page.
You can also email info@tararescue.org. For more details, visit our Contact page.
For full details about fees, what’s included, and the step-by-step process, please see our Adopt page. These are some of the extras people often ask about.
Sometimes, yes. Same-day adoptions are possible when:
Same-day adoptions are never guaranteed, but they do happen.
Yes, we adopt outside our immediate counties and occasionally out of state, case by case. We must be able to complete the process responsibly and ensure the animal will have proper support where they’re going.
Our contract allows us to check on adopted animals for the first 90 days. This helps us verify things like rental agreements, breed allowances, and any medical or physical requirements for the pet.
We may use a combination of vet checks, landlord verification, conversations, and follow-up check-ins depending on the situation.
We may occasionally allow potential adopters to foster dogs over 6 months old for a short trial (often about a week) before finalizing adoption.
However, preference is always given to adopters who are ready to commit without a trial period, and trials are not guaranteed.
Generally, no. We do not place holds on animals. In rare cases, we may hold an animal for a short time for an already-approved adopter with a scheduled meet-and-greet.
Refunds are never guaranteed. Any refund request must be submitted in writing via email to our Board of Directors and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Fosters are the heart of our rescue. If you’re curious about what’s involved, this section is for you.
No. TARA covers approved veterinary expenses for our animals. Fosters do not pay vet bills.
Many fosters choose to purchase extra toys, treats, or supplies, but this is not required or expected.
Not necessarily. We welcome new fosters and do our best to match you with animals that fit your home, comfort level, and experience. We’ll walk you through the basics and answer questions along the way.
Yes. Many of our best fosters already have resident pets. We’ll factor in your existing animals when choosing foster matches and provide guidance on introductions.
Not always. Some dogs do require a fenced yard for safety or due to their energy level, history, or escape skills. Others do well on leashes and supervised outdoor time.
Yes, with supervision. Many families foster together. An adult in the home must be the primary contact and decision-maker, and children should always be supervised around animals for everyone’s safety.
If any issue arises—medical, behavioral, or safety-related—fosters should contact the appropriate dog or cat coordinator right away. We’ll help arrange veterinary care, behavior support, or a move to another foster if needed.
This is one of the hardest areas of rescue. We want to be clear and honest about what we can and cannot do.
In most cases, TARA only accepts owner surrenders for animals who were originally adopted from us.
We generally do not take in animals from the public because we cannot legally verify ownership and we have seen situations where someone tries to “get rid of” a pet that isn’t truly theirs. We will not participate in that.
In rare cases, we may be able to help directly or indirectly, but space is extremely limited. Owner surrender fees, when accepted, are at least half of the current adoption fee and may be higher depending on needed medical care.
No. For safety reasons, we do not accept animals with known human or animal aggression.
No. TARA cannot legally take in strays. Stray animals must go through the county shelter system so their owners have a legal chance to find them.
We know it can be emotionally hard, but most owners will check the shelter, not a rescue.
We do not routinely scan strays for microchips. Local veterinary clinics and county shelters can scan and then follow the appropriate legal process.
Bringing a stray directly to us often results in the same outcome later: the animal ending up at a shelter, just with added delay and confusion.
The vast majority of our animals come from the Hoke, Cumberland, and Moore County shelters. By pulling dogs and cats from local shelters, we help free up space for strays whose owners may be looking for them. This gives lost pets a real chance to be reclaimed.
This process protects the pet, the adopter, and the helps keep our rescue running responsibly and ethically.
We take medical care seriously and rely entirely on donations and adoption fees to keep going.
Yes. All animals are spayed or neutered before going home, unless a specific medical exception is recommended by a veterinarian. In those rare cases, we will discuss a plan with the adopter.
At this time, we do not routinely test cats for FeLV/FIV. The cost of testing every cat is very high and would significantly increase our adoption fees.
Dogs are often tested for heartworms at the shelter before coming to us. We make every effort to ensure dogs have a current heartworm test and receive ongoing heartworm prevention, along with flea/tick prevention and deworming.
We are not professional trainers. We can offer basic advice and may be able to recommend trainers or resources, but formal training arrangements are between the adopter and the trainer.
Yes. TARA Rescue is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law. Our EIN is 46-0736492.
Donations help cover medical care, preventatives, food, transport, emergencies, special-needs animals, long-term animals, and bottle babies.
Receipts are available upon request. For ways to give, visit our Donate page.
A few of our non-negotiables and special cases when it comes to dogs and cats.
No. We have a strict no-declaw policy. Declawing is a painful, life-altering surgery, and we do not support it.
Yes. Our cats are adopted as indoor-only companions. This is for their safety and well-being.
Occasionally, we have cats who clearly prefer a barn or working-cat lifestyle. In those cases, we do our best to place them in safe barn homes.
We do not adopt out “barn cats on demand.” It depends entirely on the cat’s needs and preferences.
Not for every dog. Some dogs absolutely require a fence for safety—especially those who are athletic, escape-prone, or living near busy roads. Others do well with leashed walks and supervised outdoor time.
We do not judge a dog by breed. We love bully breeds.
However, we will not place restricted breeds in areas where they are not allowed (for example, some on-post or rental housing). We have to respect local rules and keep both the dog and the adopter safe.
No. TARA dogs are adopted as indoor family members. Yard time is great; living outside full-time is not.
Adopting an animal is a serious, long-term commitment. We want to be very clear about what that means and how returns are handled.
We understand that sometimes, despite best efforts, a placement may not work. We will work with adopters when that happens.
However, returning an animal to TARA should be considered a last resort. When you adopt, you are committing to that animal for the rest of its natural life. Moving back and forth between homes is extremely stressful for pets and can create or worsen behavior issues.
There is no formal time limit, but we run at or near capacity most of the time. Once you let us know you need to return an animal, that pet will be placed on a wait list for the next appropriate foster opening, unless there is an urgent safety concern.
Lack of time alone is rarely a good reason to return a pet. In most cases, your dog would rather have a few solid hours with you each day than live in a foster home surrounded by other dogs and getting less one-on-one attention.
Before considering a return, we strongly encourage you to:
We want both pets and families to be safe and happy, and we will help troubleshoot where we can.
A few extra things people ask us about how we operate.
Adoption fees help cover a portion of each animal’s medical care and supplies. We are not government funded; we are 100% supported by donations and adoption fees.
Many animals cost far more in care than their adoption fee covers, especially those needing extra medical treatment.
Some animals have special needs or special abilities. A dog who can easily jump a four-foot fence, for example, should not live in a home with a four-foot chain link fence next to a busy highway.
When we list special requirements, it’s to keep everyone safe and set pets and families up for success.
Yes. We encourage you to meet animals at our adoption events whenever possible. You can also submit an application that we keep on file so you’re ready when you find the right match.
Still have questions? Visit our Contact page for ways to reach us, or send us a message on Facebook.