Randolph County Group Opens Consignment Shop to Help Reduce Euthanasia of Adoptable Cats & Dogs

A group of residents in Randolph County are working hard to save the lives of thousands of cats and dogs in their community.

Last year, 5,240 adoptable dogs and cats were euthanized in Randolph County. There just weren't enough homes for them. As part of an initiative to lower this number, the Randolph County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals recently opened Dogwill/Catwill in Asheboro. The consignment shop sells a variety of merchandise, including gently used household items, furniture and jewelry.

Jan Williamson, the Director of Outreach Education for the Randolph County SPCA, says the store is a great way to get the community involved in their project. "Every single penny that people spend in the Dogwill/Catwill goes directly to help the animals of Randolph County. We don't pay salaries. Everyone is a volunteer, and all the items are donated by the community," Williamson says.

According to Williamson, the growing cat and dog population in her area is one of the highest in North Carolina. She says Randolph County is the 11^th most overpopulated county in the state for pets. The SPCA stresses the importance of spaying and neutering a pet, and volunteers regularly transport animals to Greensboro for the free or reduced price procedure. 

Gary Hall, the Executive Director of the Randolph County SPCA, says the money raised by Dogwill/Catwill helps fund spay and neuter programs like this one. He says the consignment shop has something for everyone. "You just never know what you're going to get," Hall says. "It's exciting every day to see these things come in and to engage the people who are donating and thank them for their generosity."

Dogwill/Catwill is located 300 West Bailey Street in Asheboro, but there are plans underway for moving to a more central location in the city's downtown in the coming months. The store is open every Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

*Celia Spell is an intern at WFDD and a senior at Wake Forest University.