The Wake County Animal Center is dealing with an important circumstance as it approaches optimal capability, with a frustrating variety of animals in requirement of irreversible houses. In the hopes of motivating adoption, the center is when again waiving all adoption costs for dogs that have actually been residing in shelter pens for 21 days or more. The week-long promo will end next Monday, June 12.
“We had tremendous success with our last long-timer campaign, with 32 dogs finding forever homes over just a 10-day period at the beginning of May – we know Wake County can come to the rescue again!” said Wake County Board of Commissioner Cheryl Stallings. “Our community continues to show incredible support for our animals and our shelter – the only one in Wake County that does NOT turn any animals away.”
The center presently has 95 dogs on the adoption flooring, 32 in foster care and another 44 in staff-only locations. Of those 95 dogs, 45 have actually been waiting in the shelter for more than 3 weeks. They are particularly homesick for their permanently houses and, once again, are available at no cost now through June 12. You can see those animals at pets.wake.gov. They have an orange “featured” button under their images.
Adoption costs are generally $95 for dogs, $45 for cats under 5 years of ages and $15 for cats more than 5 years of ages. Before leaving the center, all dogs receive spay/neuter surgical treatment, microchipping and needed vaccinations.
There are 75 kennels available for dogs at the shelter off New Bern Avenue in north Raleigh. They are double-sided enclosures permit the animals enough room to move, which is chosen given that remain at the shelter can be long. Now, to accommodate the recent overflow of family pets, staff are needing to divide those kennels up into 2 smaller sized compartments. This leads to a congested adoption flooring, with spacing that puts tension on the dogs’ physical and psychological health.
“While our staff and wonderful volunteers work to give the animals under our care all the attention and love we can, living for weeks on end in an animal shelter is not healthy for any animal – physically or mentally,” said Dr. Jennifer Federico, Wake County Animal Center Director. “Double-sided enclosures help prevent the spread of disease, especially for young animals and those recently admitted to shelters. When we have to move to single enclosures, we’re putting these pets at risk, but we do not have any other option.”
Animals generated as strays for protective custody or for bite quarantines should lawfully be held by the shelter. When family pet owners make an appointment to quit their family pet, shelter staff are completely transparent and explain that if the center lacks space, it is animals on the adoption flooring who will be euthanized initially. We strongly encourage anyone who needs to surrender an animal to work to rehome their family pet by utilizing these suggestions.
Ready to adopt? Check out our adoption gallery or come over and see the sweet faces on your own! The shelter is open for adoptions daily from midday to 6 p.m. 7 days a week. The Wake County Animal Center lies at 820 Beacon Lake Drive, near the crossway of I-440 and New Bern Ave. in Raleigh.
