The Wake County Animal Center is dedicated to helping pet owners keep their pets healthy and safe through Community Pet Days, which offer affordable vaccines, microchipping and more. The Center also hosts offsite adoption events and helps promote local rabies and microchip clinics offered by community partners. The team at Wake County Animal Center is committed to supporting pet owners and advancing animal welfare across Wake County.
National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month and Pit Bull Awareness Month
As part of a double celebration for both National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month and National Pit Bull Awareness Month, the Wake County Animal Center is waiving all adoption fees for all Pit bull-type dogs throughout October. The community is encouraged to take advantage of this campaign and welcome these lovable dogs into their homes.
There are 65 American Staffordshire Terriers on the adoption floor and an additional 17 in foster care ready for adoption. When you adopt a pet from the Wake County Animal Center, they are spayed/neutered, microchipped, and up to date on their annual vaccines, saving adoptive families on veterinary bills.
For the past few years, the Wake County Animal Center has been almost always overpopulated and operating beyond capacity, with Pit bull-type dogs being the most common breed in need of homes. This ongoing overcrowding puts a strain on resources and staff making it harder to provide the care every animal deserves. With this adoption campaign the staff hopes more pit bulls will find loving, permanent homes while easing the pressure on the shelter.
Community Pet Days
Community Pet Days are events that offer pet owners much-needed vaccinations, microchips and resources for their pets. Community Pet Days are offered due to a collaboration between local veterinarian Dr. April Ward with Heal House Call Veterinarians, Wake County Animal Center, Friends of Wake County Animal Center, Dorcas Ministries, Wake County Health and Human Services and Wake County Regional Centers.
Fall Community Pet Days
All events are scheduled from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. unless otherwise stated.
- Sunday, October 13 – Southern Regional Center in Fuquay Varina
- Sunday, October 27 – Dorcas Ministries in Cary
- Sunday, November 10 – Northern Regional Center in Wake Forest
- Sunday, November 24 – Eastern Regional Center in Zebulon
Community Pet Day Services:
Low-cost vaccinations:
- Rabies vaccination: a vaccine that protects against the rabies virus. Both 1-year and 3-year vaccines are offered*. Cost $5.
- DHPP: a combination vaccine that protects against five dog diseases - distemper, canine hepatitis, canine adenovirus, canine parainfluenza, and parvovirus. Free.
- FVRCP: a combination vaccine that protects against three cat diseases – feline herpesvirus 1 (FHV-1), feline calicivirus (FCV) and feline panleukopenia (FPV or feline distemper). Free.
Microchipping services:
- Microchip: a small, electronic chip enclosed in a glass cylinder (about the size of a grain of rice), implanted under the skin and used to identify pets. The microchip is read by a scanner and shows an identification number that corresponds to the owner’s contact information. Free.
- Information on affordable spay/neuter resources
- Basic Pet Care Guides for travel or emergency situations – Dog Care Plan and Cat Care Plan
- Information on how to find affordable pet food and supplies
- Information about Wake County Health and Human Services resources
- Information about keeping pets and people healthy
Adoption Specials at the Animal Center
- Any dog or cat that’s been at the shelter for more than two weeks is available for just $25 for dogs and “name your price” for cats. The regular adoption fees are $95 for dogs, $45 for cats under five years old, and $15 for cats that are greater than five years old.