RCHS Services

Animal Cruelty Animal cruelty cases are handled by the Randolph County Animal Control Officer (ACO) along with the Randolph County Sheriff’s Department. If you are aware of a case of animal cruelty, please don’t be silent. Contact the ACO at 304-636-2521. You can also provide information anonymously through the tip line: 304-636-TIPS (8477), or email the tip line: tips@rcsowv.org.

West Virginia state law requires counties and municipalities to pick up and care for stray animals for at least five days in order to give owners a chance to reclaim their pets. Randolph County contracts with RCHS to provide shelter for these animals.

Strays

Randolph County has an Animal Control Officer (Dog Warden) based in Elkins that picks up stray dogs and cats, and also brings to RCHS pets whose owners have been charged with abuse, or who can’t care for their pets because they have been arrested, evicted, hospitalized, or have died and there is no one else available to care for the animal(s).

Surrenders

Space permitting, RCHS also accepts dogs, cats, kittens, puppies, rabbits and other small animals that are turned in by the public. Some of these animals are strays; some are surrendered by their owners.

After the required five-day holding period to allow stray pets to be claimed by their owners, animals that are suitable for adoption are made available to the public. All animals must be spayed or neutered before they are adopted.

How You Can Help

Learn more about how you can help the animals by adopting, sponsoring or fostering a pet; donating money or supplies; or volunteering with RCHS.