‼️ CALLING ALL DOG LOVERS!!

The Wake County Animal Center is over capacity with over TWO HUNDRED dogs in our care - over ONE HUNDRED who are adoptable and ready for new homes.

We are, yet again, dangerously close to having to euthanize to make space for incoming dogs.

How you can help:

ADOPT - if you or anyone you know are looking to adopt, NOW IS THE TIME. Check out our adoptable dogs at pets.wake.gov

REUNITE - if you know someone whose pet is missing, make sure they are checking the adoption gallery - pets.wake.gov - multiple times per day and come check WCAC at least once every other day. As the designated stray-intake facility for the entirety of Wake County, our intake never stops. Reuniting lost pets with the families who love them is another way to help us make space.

VOLUNTEER/FOSTER - right now, our volunteer application is offline as we don't have a Volunteer Coordinator. We anticipate reopening the application by the end of this month. Bookmark wake.gov/pets/volunteer to keep track of when it's back online. You can learn more about fostering here - wake.gov/pets/foster

RESCUE - if you foster with a local rescue partner, please considering opening your home to help us avoid the euthanasia of these beautiful and deserving animals. Encourage your rescue's leadership to save a local life by transferring a dog from WCAC into their care.

DONATE - with over 200 dogs in our care, we're blowing through a lot of treats and managing a lot of bedding and supplies! We're running extremely low on chewy treats, dog beds, blankets, sheets, and towels. Please consider donating via our Amazon Wishlist OR bringing/mailing your donations directly to the Animal Center.

Wake County Animal Center

820 Beacon Lake Drive

Raleigh, NC 27610

We haven't euthanized a healthy, adoptable pet from our adoption floor to make space for incoming animals in over eight years. Help us keep that streak going! We are so fortunate to have a community who steps up to help us in these critical times. We know we can do it again!

Wake County Animal Center to launch feline-only adoption event

June is National Adopt a Shelter Cat Month, a time when many kittens are born and often end up in animal shelters. The Wake County Animal Center is hosting a special adoption event exclusively for cats, allowing the public to adopt any cat over six months old for just $5. This initiative aims to find homes for older kittens and adult cats, making room for the influx of younger kittens.

Kittens cannot be made available for adoption until they are at least two pounds and eight weeks old. This is because all kittens must be spayed or neutered before adoption, and this procedure cannot be performed until they meet the required weight and age. The public should not bring litters of kittens to the shelter unless they are in immediate danger, distress or showing signs of illness or malnutrition. Many people mistakenly believe kittens are abandoned if they find them alone, but the mother is often out searching for food and will return shortly. The appropriate age to separate a kitten from its mother is eight weeks. Kittens younger than this are at risk of falling sick due to lack of proper nutrition.

"Pets left behind or born outside face difficult conditions," said Dr. Jennifer Federico, director of the Animal Center. "Without regular access to food, water and shelter, life on the streets is a constant struggle for stray cats and dogs. Many become ill, spread preventable diseases and are at risk of injuries and parasites. We work tirelessly to rescue these homeless pets; however, due to limited space, we can only keep them in kennels for short periods. Shelter pets need loving families. By opening your home to a shelter animal, you save lives and create space for others in need."

Regular adoption fees are $45 for cats under five years old and $15 for older cats. When you adopt a pet from the Wake County Animal Center, they are spayed/neutered, microchipped, and up to date on their annual vaccines, which saves you on veterinary bills.

June National Holidays

June is National Pet Preparedness Month. Make sure that you have an emergency preparedness kit for you, your family and your pets!

Cats - Typically, cats are only put in their crates when they are going to the vet. Some cats are difficult to catch. Make sure that you have a properly sized crate for EVERY cat in your home. If you don't have enough crates, you may not be able to evacuate all of your cats. Get your cats used to the crate so that it is not a stressful event for them to be crated and moved. Make sure all cats are microchipped. If you can't find an outdoor cat and need to evacuate, a microchip can help reunite you with your cat after the emergency.
Dogs - Not all owners crate train their dogs. When you evacuate, your pet may be required to be crated. You can decrease your dog's stress by crate training ahead of time.
Horses - All horses should be able to calmly and quickly load onto a trailer. During an evacuation is NOT the time to train your horse. Your horse may be left behind if they are unable to be loaded.

Learn more on our website.