Animal Rescue Foundation, Inc.
Our Mission
The Animal Rescue Foundation is dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating homeless cats and dogs, ensuring they receive the compassionate care and medical attention they deserve. We strive to promote the humane treatment of animals and find them suitable, caring, permanent homes.
Our History and Community
Founded in 1971 as a non-profit, non-destroy shelter, we have spent decades serving our community in Terryville, Connecticut. After our facility was lost to a fire in 2008, the incredible support of our neighbors and volunteers allowed us to build a state-of-the-art shelter, ensuring we can continue our life-saving mission for years to come.
How We Operate
We operate as a 100% volunteer-led organization, with our dedicated team managing everything from daily animal care and cleaning to fundraising and administrative tasks. Because we are staffed entirely by volunteers, we maintain our facility with a deep commitment to providing a safe, clean, and loving environment for our animals until they find their forever families.
Finding Your Perfect Match
We believe that successful adoptions are built on thoughtful connections. We take the time to understand each animal's individual needs and personality, allowing us to find the best possible home for every dog and cat in our care. Our volunteers are here to guide you through the process, ensuring a joyful and lasting partnership between you and your new pet.
Join Our Mission
If you are ready to welcome a new best friend into your home, we invite you to view our adoptable pets and submit an application online. We are open by appointment only, so once your application is approved, we look forward to scheduling a meet-and-greet to introduce you to your future companion. Visit us online to explore our current adoptables or to learn about ways you can get involved.
Trust Assessment
SilverRated Nov 11, 2026
NonprofitVerifiedPhysical FacilityOperating 50+ years
FinancesOnline Review Highlights
- Dedicated and caring volunteer staff
- Thorough and thoughtful matching process
Recent Videos
11/10 - Is Midge your kind of dog, or are you more of a Brodie person? 😂🐾 Team Small Dog 🐶 or Team Big Dog? Tell us in the comments! 👇 Midge and Brodie are both looking for their forever homes. Could one of them be your perfect match? Learn more about Midge, Brodie, and our other adoptable animals at arfct.org/adopt. 📍 Terryville, CT
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11/9 - Luke, Ethel, and Ricky are busy being curious, checking out their surroundings, and keeping each other entertained. There's never a dull moment when these three are together! Ricky has been pre-adopted, but Luke and Ethel are still available and hoping to find families of their own. ❤️ Learn more about Luke, Ethel, and our other adoptable animals at arfct.org/adopt 📍 Terryville, CT
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11/9 - George has a question… why should the cats get all the runway fun? 💅🐾 Introducing the ARF Angels! George is taking center stage as host, and his four-legged supermodels are ready to strut their stuff. Forget Paris. Forget Milan. The runway is in Terryville. 😉 But these Angels aren’t just serving looks. They’re looking for their forever homes, too! ❤️ Meet our adoptable dogs at arfct.org/adopt 📍Terryville, CT
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11/8 - The training montage looked a lot more impressive in Tucker's head. 😂💪 He started this walk ready to conquer the world. He ended it flat on the ground, questioning all his life choices. Somebody get this boy a snack! 🐾 Learn more about Tucker and our other adoptable animals at arfct.org/adopt ❤️ 📍 Terryville, CT
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11/7 - 🐾 GRACIE PUPDATE! ❤️ A little update on our sweet girl! Gracie recently visited our primary veterinary partner, Bantam Lake Animal Hospital, for a wound check and her standard intake exam. The good news? She did SO well at the vet! ❤️ Her gunshot wound was cleaned out, her bloodwork results were GREAT, and she’s up to date on her vaccines! She’s making progress, and if all continues to go well, her staples and sutures may be ready to come out in a couple of weeks! We know she still has some healing ahead of her, but we’re so happy to see her getting the care and attention she deserves. A heartfelt thank you to Waterbury Woof Pack CT and the CT Dog Gone Recovery Volunteer Network for everything you’ve done to help Gracie get to safety. And thank you to the team at Bantam Lake Animal Hospital for taking such good care of her. ❤️ One more important thing: If you have any information about Gracie’s injuries or the circumstances surrounding this incident, please contact the Waterbury Police Department. She deserves answers. Keep those good thoughts coming for our girl! Stay tuned for more Gracie updates. ❤️🐾
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11/5 - When the clock hits 5 PM and suddenly it’s nighttime. 😭🌙 Tucker is just as confused as the rest of us. What are we supposed to do now?! It’s too early to call it a night! 😂 Can we all agree that the worst part of this time of year is how it’s basically dark before dinner? Who else is already missing the daylight? 🙋♀️ While we’re waiting for the sun to remember us, Tucker is waiting for his forever family! ❤️ Learn more about Tucker and our other adoptable animals at arfct.org/adopt 📍 Terryville, CT
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11/5 - "Thank you for your patience. We are currently assisting another customer. Your lap request is important to us, and we appreciate your willingness to wait. Please enjoy the music while you hold. 😂🐾" Monica and Mary are both available for adoption and would love a family of their own (and no more waiting in line for a lap!). ❤️ Interested in meeting one of these lovely ladies? Visit arfct.org/adopt to learn more about them. 📍 Terryville, CT
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11/3 - Some of you may already know Gracie’s story from the news or social media. It’s a story that breaks your heart, but one we hope will have a much happier ending. ❤️ After everything this sweet girl has endured, we are so grateful to everyone who worked tirelessly to get her to safety and make sure she received the medical attention she urgently needed. Now, Gracie is with us at ARF. We’ve prepared a cozy space just for her, and while she has a long road ahead, she’ll have everything she needs to rest, heal, and feel safe. A special thank you to Waterbury Animal Control, Waterbury Woof Pack CT, the CT Dog Gone Recovery Volunteer Network, and VCA Shoreline for everything you’ve done for Gracie. And to our friends at Bantam Lake Animal Hospital, thank you for continuing to be there for her as she begins her recovery. We can’t change what happened to Gracie, but we can make sure she knows what love, kindness, and gentle hands feel like from here on out. If you have any information about Gracie’s injuries or the circumstances surrounding this incident, please contact the Waterbury Police Department. Gracie deserves answers. We got you, Gracie. You are so loved. ❤️🐾
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11/1 - “Are you taking a picture of me because I’m cute?” 📸 Midge knows she’s camera-worthy, and honestly, she’s not wrong! 😹❤️ This sweet girl may take a little time to feel comfortable with you, but once she does, her friendly and affectionate side shines through. Her profile isn’t up on our website just yet, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get the ball rolling! Interested in Midge? Send in an adoption application and let us know you’d like to meet her! Learn more and apply at arfct.org/adopt! 🐾
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10/31 - Nothing is spookier than kitties without homes 😱 Meet the Nashville litter! This includes the momma, Dolly, and her kittens: Willie, Jolene, Waylan, Cash, Hank, all available for pre-adoption. There are so many other kittens and adult cats at ARFCT that need homes right now as well. Consider pulling the "trick" of applying at arfct.org/adopt and taking home the "treat" of a new family member! 🐱🍬 We accept applications from CT and neighboring states. Meet & Greets required. 📍 Terryville, CT #Halloween #catlovers #rescuecats #Connecticut
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10/31 - George here, trying to figure out this whole Fall Back thing… Is it tomorrow? Or tonight? Do I get my extra hour of sleep tonight or tomorrow? 🤔😂 I'm confused, but one thing is certain: breakfast is still happening on schedule. Nice try, humans. 💤🍽️ Don't forget to turn your clocks back tonight! ⏰ Sunday, November 1, 2026, at 2:00 AM, clocks go back one hour to 1:00 AM. — George, your very confused spokesdog 🎤🐾
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10/30 - Forget Paris. Forget Milan. The runway is in Terryville, Connecticut. 💅🐾 Introducing the ARF Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, starring Dove, Monica, Bernadette, and Mary! Four gorgeous angels, fierce walks, and plenty of purr-sonality. And unlike the real runway, these models are actually looking for someone to take them home. ❤️ Ready to meet your next superstar? Check out our adoptable cats at arfct.org/adopt 📍Terryville, CT
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10/30 - 🏀 KOBE! KOBE! KOBE! 🐾 Kobe might not be his real name, but try shouting it and watch him come running! 😂 This handsome pup was found as a stray, and we estimate he’s around 10 months old. His profile will be available on our website once he’s been vetted! Stay tuned to learn more about this sweet boy! ❤️ 📍 Terryville, CT Check out our other adoptable animals at arfct.org/adopt
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10/29 - Happy National Cat Day!!! 🐈❤ From all of us at ARFCT to you, we hope you and your kitties enjoy this amazing day! 🐱 And while you're here, we have some amazing cats (like the ones shown in this montage) that need homes! 🏡 Learn about our adoptable cats and fill out an application at: 🔗 arfct.org Even if the cat you want is not yet listed, or you are unsure if any of these cats would be a good fit for you, we encourage you to fill out an application! An approved application ahead of time simply speeds up the process for all of us and puts you at the front of the list when the time comes! We accept applications from CT and neighboring states. Meet & Greets are required. 📍 Terryville, CT #nationalcatday #catlovers #rescuecats #animalrescue #Connecticut #everybodywantstobeacat
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