Take a trip to the mall, and you might come away with new shoes … or a new best friend.

For years, AniMall has been the place to adopt animals ranging from cats and dogs to rabbits, guinea pigs and lizards, sending thousands of them to new loving homes.

Now the organization, which is located inside Cary Towne Center, needs financial and other help to keep its doors open due to unexpected increases in rent and operational expenses.

“For the past 12 years, AniMall has been involved in animal adoptions in a number of different ways,” said the nonprofit’s Kim Labow. “We provide a space for small animals inside our store, animals like cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, lizards, and more that are available for adoption through local rescue groups.

“In addition, every weekend multiple rescue organizations hold adoption events in our store, introducing dozens of needy animals to potential forever homes. We’ve been able to track thousands of pets over the years that we have been honored to have a role in helping them find a forever home.”

Without AniMall, Labow says, the animals would not have the visibility they have now. And animal rescue organizations would not have access to AniMall’s 4,000 square feet of space used to host adoption events, educational and informational sessions, and trainings.

A fundraising campaign is underway to help AniMall get back on track; as of this week, $18,000 has been raised toward the $50,000 goal.

You can donate at gofundme.com/save-animall or at animall.org.

“Since we started the fundraising campaign, we have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support and stories of how AniMall has impacted animals, families and rescues,” Labow said.

“Cary Magazine readers can help keep AniMall open in a number of ways: In the short term, donate to the GoFundMe campaign and spread the word. Ongoing, we welcome you to shop in our store for your pet’s supplies, visit during adoption events, volunteer your time, or host your kids’ parties or other gatherings in our community room.

“The more people who know about AniMall and visit the store, the more we can help the rescue community.”