‘Sweet and gentle’ dog lingered at Wake shelter over 230 days. Now he’s got a new family.
A playful American Staffordshire Terrier brought to the Wake County Animal Center eight months ago when his owner was admitted to the hospital has found a home..
After spending over 230 days in the shelter, Kino was adopted this week, according to Wake County.
The center can only hold dogs in protective custody a short time. When his owner didn’t return for him, KIno was put up for adoption.
While the 7-year-old terrier’s story is unique — The News & Observer shared it Jan. 3 — dozens of dogs at the Wake County Animal Center have been there for months, 11 of them for over 90 days.
Now the center at 820 Beacon Lake Road in Raleigh is full and hoping an adoption promotion will help. From now until Jan. 17, dogs and cats that have been at the shelter for over two weeks are available for free.
Meet Kino
Kino loves belly rubs and treats, which he will sit and wait for patiently.
He also knows commands like “sit,” “paw” and “down,” and shows them off for extra treats.
Arevik Badalyan-Drewek, a spokesperson for Wake County, said Kino is in healthy condition but tested positive for heartworm, a disease caused by worms in the animal’s heart, lung and blood vessels that can cause lung disease, heart failure and other organ damage. The condition is treatable and not contagious but could help explain Kino’s long stay.
Friends of Wake County Animal Center, a nonprofit organization, sponsors dogs who test positive for heartworm. Kino has a $450 sponsorship to help offset the cost of his treatment.
Long-term shelter dogs
Of the 97 available dogs at the shelter, 11 have been there over 90 days, 12 have been there over 60 and 13 over a month.
A long stay in a shelter can have lasting effects on an animal’s mental and physical health, according to the National Library of Medicine. A majority of dogs in the shelter for long periods are older, male, larger, neutered and are often considered “dangerous” breeds.
American Staffordshires, which are often called pit-bulls, are misunderstood as a dangerous breed and make up over half the dogs at the Wake County animal shelter.
The towns of Edenton and Lumberton in North Carolina consider all bull terriers potentially vicious and require they be registered and restrained. Some rental properties and communities ban them altogether, which contributes to pet surrenders at animal shelters. .
“Unfortunately, many dogs like Kino face challenges when it comes to finding their forever homes, often due to their breed and housing restrictions,” Badalyan-Drewek said. “These policies can discourage potential adopters, even when the dog has a wonderful temperament and would make an incredible companion.”
Cats are quicker to be adopted because there are no housing restrictions for their breeds. Currently, nearly all of the available cats at the shelter and in foster have adoptions pending.
Free and reduced adoption fees
All dogs and cats that have been at the Wake County Animal Center for over two weeks can be adopted for free through Jan. 17.
Fees are $25 for dogs and $5 for cats that have been there for under two weeks.
After the promotion, fees will return to $95 for dogs, $45 for cats under 5 years old and $15 for older cats.
To see the animals go to pets.wake.gov/gallery.
In addition, the SPCA of Wake has no adoption fees for its available cats and dogs through Jan. 10.
This story was originally published January 4, 2025 at 8:15 AM.