Wake County Animal Center facing ‘overcrowding crisis.’ Save money on pet adoptions.
The Wake County Animal Center is once again asking for help to clear the shelter.
The shelter, on Beacon Lake Drive, is nearing capacity, risking adoptable pets being euthanized to make space for new arrivals.
“If we take in 30 more dogs, the center will be completely full,” Wake County Commissioner Vickie Adamson said in a news release. “We urge our community to come forward and adopt.”
In early August, after the shelter warned it would begin euthanizing pets for lack of space, people adopted nearly 140 animals.
Now it’s asking for help again.
People returning to offices, inflation, and size and breed restrictions at apartment complexes are fueling the ongoing space crunch at animal shelters locally and nationwide.
The Wake County Animal Center does not turn animals away, but the waiting time for an appointment to surrender a dog is now four to six weeks. Instead of bringing an animal to the shelter, staff recommend people try to re-home their pets themselves and offers tips online.
If a pet owner does give up their pet, shelter staff also explain that if the center runs out of space, “it is animals on the adoption floor who will be euthanized first,” according to the news release.
Two dogs to a kennel
But crowding has more immediate consequences.
“When we get close to capacity, we have to use our space differently,” said Dr. Jennifer Federico, director of the Animal Center. “We divide up the kennels, so we can fit two dogs inside instead of one. It’s not ideal as a crowded and noisy shelter can make our animals feel more stressed, both physically and emotionally.”
As of Tuesday, the shelter had 83 dogs, four puppies, 19 cats, 33 kittens and 14 stray animals on hold for owners to reclaim. There are also 43 pets living with foster families.
Dogs or puppies that have been on the adoption floor for more than 15 days are currently available to be adopted at no cost.
The regular adoption fees are $95 for dogs, $45 for cats under 5 years old and $15 for older cats.
The shelter is open for adoptions from noon to 6 p.m. seven days a week. The Wake County Animal Center is located at 820 Beacon Lake Drive, near the intersection of I-440 and New Bern Avenue in Raleigh.
This story was originally published September 13, 2023 at 11:27 AM.
