Asheville -- June 17, 2026: Brother Wolf Animal Rescue announced today that the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) has awarded a $1 million grant to support the rebuild of Brother Wolf’s Adoption Center in Asheville.
The grant marks a major investment in Brother Wolf’s rebuilding journey after flooding caused by Hurricane Helene destroyed the organization’s shelter and all physical assets in 2024. The future Adoption Center will expand Brother Wolf’s ability to increase adoptions, support overcrowded shelter partners, and create more lifesaving opportunities for animals across Western North Carolina.
“This grant is an extraordinary show of support for Brother Wolf and for the animals and communities we serve,” said Leah Craig Chumbley, Executive Director of Brother Wolf Animal Rescue. “After Hurricane Helene destroyed our shelter, the ASPCA helped us keep going by giving us the temporary space we needed to continue saving lives. Now, through this incredible investment in our rebuilt Adoption Center, the ASPCA is helping us build what comes next. We’re deeply grateful for the ASPCA’s belief in Brother Wolf and in the lifesaving future we’re working to create for animals in Western North Carolina.”
After the loss of its shelter, Brother Wolf continued its lifesaving work through foster-based care, temporary operations, and community support programs. With the help of temporary space provided by the ASPCA Spay/Neuter Alliance, a low-cost spay/neuter clinic in Asheville, more than 900 Brother Wolf animals were adopted into loving homes in 2025, and hundreds more received much-needed medical care.
“Brother Wolf Animal Rescue's commitment to providing veterinary, sheltering and adoption services in the wake of Hurricane Helene has been extraordinary,” said Matt Bershadker, president and CEO of the ASPCA. “The ASPCA has a history of serving animals in Western North Carolina, and we are grateful for the opportunity to work alongside our local partners to address animal welfare challenges, expand access to care and help improve outcomes for vulnerable cats and dogs across the region.”
The ASPCA’s grant support builds upon a longstanding partnership during the most difficult chapter in Brother Wolf’s history. As the oldest and one of the largest animal welfare organizations in the country, the ASPCA’s continued investment in Brother Wolf speaks to the strength of the Western North Carolina community, the urgency of the work ahead, and the importance of creating lasting, lifesaving resources for animals across the region.
Brother Wolf’s rebuilt Adoption Center will be a vibrant, high-impact space where animals can find safety, care, and loving homes.
“We are rebuilding a future where more animals get the second chances they have always deserved,” Chumbley added.
Brother Wolf Animal Rescue is deeply grateful to the ASPCA for helping champion this next chapter through this incredible partnership. Together, with its community of caring supporters, Brother Wolf is rebuilding a future for animals in Western North Carolina.
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Brother Wolf Animal Rescue’s mission is to better the lives of companion animals and the people who love them. Founded in 2007, Brother Wolf Animal Rescue impacts the lives of hundreds of animals each year in the Western North Carolina region.