Pictured above are just a few of the many lives saved by C.A.R.E.
In the spring of 2011, two unaltered stray dogs were picked up in Kings Mountain after a fight landed them at Cleveland County Animal Control. One was a Golden Retriever, and after his 72-hour hold, the Humane Society and a local vet came to evaluate him for rescue. What they found was heartbreaking—he was in septic shock from untreated wounds, having suffered for days without medical care.
That dog, later named Clifford, was rushed to the vet, treated, and eventually adopted. But his story revealed a deeper problem: CCAC had no medical budget, and with nearly 7,000 animals coming in annually and a 95% euthanasia rate, most never got a second chance.
At the time, Clifford’s Army Rescue began under the umbrella of our local Humane Society, raising funds for vetting and working to connect shelter animals with northern rescues. But by 2014, the Army had grown—and so had our vision. We wanted to do more. That year, we applied for and received our 501(c)(3) nonprofit status, officially becoming Clifford’s Army Rescue Extravaganza. We began recruiting our own fosters and volunteers, building a community of animal advocates determined to make a difference.
Since then, we’ve grown into a full rescue—focused not just on healthy animals, but on those others pass by: the injured, the sick, the feral, the frightened. We’ve seen unimaginable cruelty—dogs starved to the point of eating the remains of others, injuries exposing bone and muscle. And yet, we keep fighting.
Today, we care for 126 dogs in foster homes, supported by 62 active fosters. And while not all are active at once, we have over 200 people on our social media volunteer page—ready to jump in when needed. We also have 29 dogs in paid boarding, which costs us $4,500 every two weeks. Our mission is to give every dog a chance—whether they need heartworm treatment, surgery, or just a safe place to heal.
We also support our community—covering vet bills for families in crisis, hosting free pet food drives, and offering monthly spay/neuter clinics with Dr. Elizabeth Welch and $10 microchip clinics with Dr. Brandi Bumgardner. Because we believe in keeping pets with the people who love them.
But being foster-based has its limits. That’s why we’re building something bigger.
We were gifted 26+ acres with three buildings and a house—our future rescue facility. We’ve completed the roof on our 65,000 sq ft dog building, and are working with Duke Power and a local electrical company to get power restored. We still need roofs on the office and training buildings, and extensive interior renovations.
Phase One has two goals:
- Move our dogs out of boarding to save over $8,000/month
- Open our offices to expand operations
It’s a daunting task—but we believe in it with all our hearts. With this facility, we can help even more animals in Cleveland County and beyond.
Thank you for standing with us. Together, we’re not just saving lives—we’re rewriting stories.
