FAQ

Grand Strand Humane Society is currently using their shelter facility on Mr. Joe White Ave. for Dog Adoptions and our location at Tanger Outlets on Hwy. 501 (Suite N210) for Cat Adoptions. Our Vet Clinic is being offered in mobile trailer units located in the parking lot of the City Procurement Building next door to our Mr. Joe White Ave. shelter. Our mailing address remains as:

3241 Mr. Joe White Avenue

Myrtle Beach, SC 29577.

Our facility is located off of Highway 17 Bypass behind Myrtle Waves Water Park.

We have 2 locations where donations can be dropped off. The first is our cat adoption center at Tanger Outlets on Hwy. 501 which is open 12-6 pm, 7 days a week. Donations can also be dropped off in front of our former building at 3241 Mr. Joe White Ave. There is a purple donation bin just to the right of the front door where donations can be placed. Volunteers and staff monitor the donation bin throughout the day. Please note that we are unable to use pillows or large rugs for our animals.

Our goal is to save the maximum number of lives possible. No animal is ever euthanized for time or space. However, we are an open admission facility taking in any and all animals that enter our doors from within our jurisdiction which is the city limits of Myrtle Beach. While we address and attempt to modify a variety of behaviors, animals whose level of aggression makes them too dangerous to safely offer for placement or those so badly injured or ill that managing a comfortable quality of life cannot be achieved, are humanely euthanized. Our staff provides loving care to all animals regardless of age, health or behavior.

2019 statistics in review:

• A total of 2872 animals were taken in.. of those here are the detailed statistics
• Provided a safe haven for 675 animals that were surrendered by their beloved owners…
• Took in 1,934 homeless and abandoned animals that had nowhere else to go…
• Gave shelter, safety and love to 118 animals seized by law enforcement…
• Found space in our overcrowded shelter to take in 145 animals, that were facing euthanasia, from other shelters in our area…
• Made 1,211 families complete by adopting a precious animal into their homes…
• Reunited 186 animals with their distraught owners who were missing them dearly…
• Spayed or neutered 2,109 animals – 804 which were privately owned by members of our community…
• Administered 17,126 vaccines…
• Treated 369 dogs for heartworm disease allowing them to live a long and healthy life…
• Transported hundreds of animals to other no-kill rescue and shelter partners across the country so that we never ONCE had to close our doors to new intakes…

Based on the total intake and including all causes for euthanasia our live release rate for 2019 was 92 percent.

We do not put a housing time limit on our animals as long as the pet does not become aggressive or a danger to our patrons. We keep our animals until they find their loving, forever home.

The number of animals we receive varies depending on the month, weather and economic climate. We average 50-100 dogs per month and 80-150 cats per month. That’s a lot of animals that need homes.

Yes, you can go to our website, www.grandstrandhumanesociety.com, and choose the option Available Pets which will direct you to our Petfinder page. There you will find a lot of the animals we currently have available for adoption. Our PetFinder is updated as often as possible but it does not contain all of the animals we have at the shelter looking for their forever home. If you don’t see the kind of pet you are looking for, please go ahead and fill out the online adoption application, also found on our website, and tell us the kind of animal you are hoping to adopt. Please remember you have to be 18 years old to adopt a pet.

It varies. The length of time depends on if the animal needs to be spayed or neutered and if you have animals currently in your home. We require all animals that are adopted to be spayed or neutered before they leave the shelter and we generally put your animal on the next available surgery day after the adoption is complete. All pets can be picked up the same day after their surgery which will be between 12:00-2:00 pm.  If you currently have an animal in your home, we require you to bring your animal into the shelter for a meet & greet, after your adoption application has been approved, to ensure they get along with the pet you are considering adopting.

You can find this information along with all adoption procedure information including the online application on our website.

Adoption Information

It is the policy of Grand Strand Humane Society that all animals are to be spayed or neutered before they leave the shelter. This surgery is included in their adoption fee. We make sure your newly adopted pet is put on the next available surgery day to ensure you will be able to take your pet home within a few days. We feel that as a shelter it is our responsibility to do our part in controlling the pet population and this policy ensures that we do so.

Our clinic is currently open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 am-2 pm but always be sure to check our website homepage for any changes or updates to this schedule. It is located at the top with a green background. We are also now scheduling appointments for our vet clinic when we STRONGLY SUGGEST you make. We are still accepting walk-in clinic as well.

The short answer is YES! The link to schedule your appointment is found at the top of our website homepage with a green background. Appointments are not required but we STRONGLY SUGGEST them. We still allow walk-in clients but will take the scheduled appointments first. Our clinic is currently open Tuesdays-Saturdays from 10 am-2 pm but always be sure to check our website homepage for any changes or updates to this schedule.

They can be emiale to you or you can visit our clinic in person during operating hours to pick up a copy. Operating hours can be found on the homepage of our website at the top of the page with the green background. Here is the contact information for our vet clinic to request these records (843) 446-2065 or gshsfrontdesk@gmail.com

The information and instructions about what to do if you would like to schedule an appointment to have your pet spayed or neutered are on our website under Vet Services. This will also show you the fees.

Unfortunately we do not provide this service to the public. The Horry County Animal Care Center in Conway or your personal veterinarian can help you with this.

We screen new arrivals and quarantine them in a separate area away from our current adoptable animals. We also vaccinate all new arrivals immediately to ensure they will be safe when they are placed into the general adoption population. Further, we continue to vaccinate the animals already in the adoption population when they are due. Throughout the day, we disinfect with anti-viral disinfectant to kill any germs that may have entered the shelter via animals being turned in.

We accept cash and credit cards payments only for veterinary clinic services, preventative medicines and adoption fees. Personal checks are only accepted for donations going towards the care of our animals, rescue transports and other requests.

If you are missing your cat please visit our cat adoption center located at Tanger Outlets on Hwy. 501 from 12-6 pm, 7 days a week to view the cats brought to us as strays. If we do not have your cat you will fill out a missing pet report.

If you are missing your dog please stop by our location at 3241 Mr. Joe White Ave. and find a staff membr to help you. We have staff available Fridays-Tuesdays from 12-6 pm. During other days and times there will be staff walking dogs that you can speak to.

Remember to bring proof of ownership for both cats and dogs including photos. If we do not have your missing pet you will fill out a lost pet report.

Post lost pet flyers in your neighborhood and at your own home. Contact local social media sites such as, Lost Pets Horry/Georgetown County’s on Facebook, to register and check for your missing pet. Check back with us often. When we take in a stray animal our first course of action is scanning it for a microchip. Remember, updated and current identification is your pet’s best ticket home. It’s best to purchase an ID tag for your pet and microchip them. We can take care of the microchip for you at our veterinary clinic.

If you live outside of the Myrtle Beach city limits and your pet is missing please remember to check with the Horry County Animal Care Center in Conway which services the residents throughout Horry Country. They offer an online Lost Animal Report submission option which you can find by clicking on this link. HCACC LOST ANIMAL REPORT

Update as of Jan. 2021 – We are asking the public to contact us in advance before surrendering your pet.

Under normal circumstances, you do not have to make an appointment to surrender your pet but we are only allowed to take animals into our care that reside within the Myrtle Beach city limits. Grand Strand Humane Society has the capacity to house 167 animals by providing shelter, food and medical care all while seeking every avenue to find each adoptable animal a loving, permanent home.

Our shelter runs at full capacity nearly 100% of the time so we do not have the space or the manpower to receive animals outside of the agreed jurisdiction we have with the City of Myrtle Beach. Depending on where you live outside of the Myrtle Beach city limits, there are shelters in Conway, North Myrtle Beach and Georgetown that can accommodate you. We will be happy to give you the information of the shelter for your area.

There is a fee of $25 to surrender one (1) pet to Grand Strand Humane Society and $40 if you need to surrender more than one (1) pet. Please note that we are only allowed to take animals into our care that have resided within the Myrtle Beach city limits.

Grand Strand Humane Society does not pick up animals. If you need an animal picked up please call the Animal Control for your area.

Within Myrtle Beach city limits – Myrtle Beach ACO: 843-918-1382
Horry County/Conway – Horry County ACO: 843-248-1520
North Myrtle Beach ACO: 843-280-5511

We are unable to accommodate “exotic” pets for surrender but will be happy to refer you to a more suitable shelter or location that can help. You are welcome to call, private message on Facebook or come by to speak to someone about other options.

Unfortunately at this time we are unable to offer community service hours. Our logistical challenges make it too difficult for us to train and supervise those seeking community service hours. We will offer this program again in the future. For anyone under 18 we require that the guardian or parent also participate in the community service program because we require all volunteers to be at least 18 years old in order to help us unsupervised.

A portion of our yearly funding is generously granted to us by the City of Myrtle Beach. We also hold numerous fundraisers throughout the year to raise the much-needed funds to run our organization. Our other income sources include: Adoption fees, Grants, Veterinary Clinic services such as spay & neuter surgeries, vaccinations, preventative medicines and micro chipping. Otherwise, we rely on the generous donations given by the individuals and businesses in our community.

No, Grand Strand Humane Society does not offer boarding services for pets. Since, we are always running at almost 100% capacity, we do not have the room or resources to provide boarding services.

We apologize for any inconvenience if you are unable to get one of our employees on the phone. During the hours on our clinic days (Monday-Thursdays & Saturdays) we are extremely busy and aren’t always able to answer the phone each time it rings. Our front desk staff stays busy assisting customers, receiving animals, adopting animals and returning/ discharging animals that are being picked up from surgery. Please leave us a voicemail message and we will return your call as soon as possible, which is usually by the end of business that day.

As of July 5, 2021 we are offering direct line phone numbers to each department which you can find below. If you do not reach someone please leave a message and someone from that department will return your call within 24 hours.

Front Desk: (843) 457-3139
Intake: (843) 446-3282
Adoptions: (843) 455-6435
Clinic: (843) 446-2065
Community Outreach: (843) 450-0405

For medical emergencies regarding your own pets please call your own veterinarian for assistance. For emergencies regarding a stray animal within the Myrtle Beach city limits please call our Animal Control officers for assistance. For emergencies regarding a stray animal outside Myrtle Beach city limits please call the Horry County Animal Control or North Myrtle Beach Animal Control for help.

Myrtle Beach Animal Control Officers: 843-918-1382
Horry County/Conway Animal Control Officers: 843-248-1520
North Myrtle Beach Animal Control Officers: 843-280-5511

Do not try to touch or move the animal. They can be dangerous or have a disease you could pass to your own pet. Refer to the Wildlife Interactions page on our website for more information. Remember, we only take in domestic animals such as dogs, cats, guinea pigs, rabbits, hamster etc. Should you find a wild animal hurt in your yard please contact the Animal Control for your area to report it and they can get you in touch with a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation facility that specializes in that animal.

Within Myrtle Beach city limits – Myrtle Beach ACO: 843-918-1382
Horry County/Conway – Horry County ACO: 843-248-1520
North Myrtle Beach ACO: 843-280-5511