Friends of Wake County Animal Center

Disclaimer: This page is run solely by Volunteers of the Friends of Wake County Animal Center, NOT STAFF of the shelter. This page has been created to promote the adoption and rescue of the animals at the center and is designed to be a positive outlet to support the shelter and it's efforts in the community. This is not meant to be a forum for negative comments about the shelter, the shelter staff or the former "owners" of any of the animals. Please keep your comments positive and focused on the animals in need.

It is the hope of the Friends of WCAC Volunteers that, by expanding into the world of social media, we will create awareness in the community for adopting and rescuing pets from our local shelter as opposed to buying a pet. This effort should result in more precious lives saved from the Wake County Animal Center.

We cannot help save the animals without you. We are their voice!

Please.... ~ Volunteer ~ Spay and Neuter ~ Adopt ~ Foster ~ Phototgraph ~ Transport ~ Rescue ~ Donate ~ Share ~ Together we can make a difference!

Here are some helpful resources in NC:

Low cost sterilization
If the expense of sterilization has been your roadblock, this is no longer a valid excuse. Check with the listings below for discounts and low-cost sterilization options in the Triangle Area, NC.

Available to anyone
Affordable Animal Care of Durham — clinic in Durham whose aim is to end pet overpopulation with low-cost, high-quality spay/neuter services for cats and dogs. Call 919-620-7729.

Carolina Mobile Spay-Neuter Clinic — mobile clinic serving 9 counties in the Triangle area of North Carolina to provide low cost sterilizations for cats and dogs. Call 919-906-SPAY (7729).

Friend of Animals (FoA) Low Cost Vouchers — order vouchers online and find local participating vets. Call 800-321-PETS (7387).

Nick's Road Veterinary Clinic — offers a low-cost spay/neuter program for cats and dogs. Low-cost pit bull spay/neuter as well. THE $20 FIX vouchers accepted. Call 919-304-2337.

Pet Overpopulation Patrol — mobile clinic serving a growing list of locations in North Carolina to offer low-cost sterilization for companion animals. THE $20 FIX and FoA vouchers accepted. Call 919-942-2250.<

Saving Lives Spay/Neuter Animal Clinic (Wake County SPCA) — working to reduce the number of unwanted animals by spaying and neutering thousands of pets at a low cost (between $30-$45) to the public. Call 919-772-0211.<

Spay Neuter Assistance Program of NC (SNAP-NC) — mobile clinic serving 10 counties in the Triangle area of North Carolina to provide low cost sterilizations for cats and dogs. Call 919-783-SNAP (7627).

SPAY/USA — nationwide referral network for affordable spay/neuter services. Call 800-248-SPAY (7729).
SPCA of Wake County — has a voucher program as well as discount certificates toward spay/neuter. Purchase vouchers or certificates on line as well as see list of participating vets in Wake County.
If on low/fixed income

P.A.L.S. (Prevent Another Litter Subsidy) Program of SNAP-NC — provides subsidized sterilizations to those who qualify. Must show proof of financial need specified on Web site or call 919-783-SNAP (7627).

THE $20 FIX — spay/neuter financial assistance program for residents of Wake, Durham and Orange counties with a household income of $20,000 or less or using public assistance. Call 919-870-1660.

S.A.F.E. Haven for Cats-SAFE Care Feline Spay Neuter Clinic — ferals, strays or personal pets. Fill out online form to make appointment.

Feral cats
Operation Catnip at N.C. State Veterinary School — ferals or strays only. Clinic operates the first Sunday or every month. Reservations required. Call 919-779-7247.

Re-homing a pet

Take responsibility
If you are trying to find a new home for your personal pet, please be advised: taking your pet to the shelter is not the solution.
In addition, by purchasing and or adopting an animal you are making a lifelong commitment to caring for that creature for the remainder of its life. If you feel you cannot keep that commitment it is incumbent upon you to find a good home for your pet.
Please, do not have the mind set that it is the responsibility of a rescue or animal shelter -- to save your pet. When you bought or adopted that dog or cat, it became your responsibility. You know the animal the best. It is up to you to find the pet the best home.
We hope you will at least explore the possibility of finding a solution to the "problem" you think you have, and help make your dog or cat a true indisposable member of your family. If you do, that's one less dog or cat that needs a new home, perhaps clearing the way for an animal at the shelter to find a home.
If your cat or dog has developed a behaviorial issue that appears beyond your control, please consult your vet. It's possible this change in behavior is related to a change in your pet's health status -- it could be in pain.
If after consulting your vet you determine this is not a medical issue, then please consult an animal behaviorist or trainer. There are several professionals that can help you. These professionals can help most people work through the challenges they face with their pet. Many issues can be fixed in one or two sessions. While in the scheme of your animal's life, the economic investment is relatively small, it does require work and reinforcement on your part. But it is well worth a try if you believe modifying an undesirable behavior will mean you can keep your pet.
If health or behavior issues are not the reason you are considering finding a home for your cat or dog, please do more research, there are ways to avoid taking your pet to the shelter or let it roam on the streets.

If none of these suggestions are viable options, or possible solutions, we ask you to consider:
• If you got your cat or dog from a breeder or adopted from a rescue group, contact them, as they should in good conscience take the animal back.
• Animal shelters are not the solution -- and this cannot be emphasized enough. They are very limited. No-kill shelters take only the most adoptable animals, if they have any space at all. Kill shelters are obligated by law to keep strays for a certain amount of time in case their owners are frantically looking for them. When the shelter is at capacity, pets are in danger of being put to sleep. Shelters cant create space, they can send pets into foster families but those get full as well.
• Never consider turning your pet, or a litter of puppies or kittens, loose "out in the country". This is the cruelest fate any domestic pet could meet. The fear, abuse, and suffering they will encounter is heartbreaking if they even manage to survive at all.
• Help for rehoming your pet can be found in an excellent guide composed by our friends at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah http://www.bestfriends.org/Resources/No-Kill-Resources/ .

If you are a 501c3 Rescue Group and able to help by pulling an animal, please contact
cindy.lynch@wakegov.com.

If you are an approved WCAC Foster who has been through orientation and want to help, please contact Joanne.Duda@wakegov.com.

To contact our team, please private message us (quicker) or email friendsofwcac@outlook.com.


Shelter Information:
820 Beacon Lake Drive, Raleigh
Phone: (919) 212-7387
Email: animalcontrol@wakegov.com
Business hours: 7 days a week 12-6pm
**Note: The shelter is closed for all Wake County holidays.
View animals for adoption: https://pets.wakegov.com/gallery