I adopted Nellie a week ago from the Wake County Animal Center. Very little has changed since I last adopted a cat from the WCAC, 15 years ago. Now, though, you can't open any cat compartment on your own. Compartments are kept locked, and an employee must unlock and stay with you. Although it's less convenient, it's a lot safer. Also, make sure you sign in and get a sticker from the front desk, so everyone knows you have the right to be there. The adoption process was quick and smooth, and employees were friendly and helpful. The fee for adopting a kitten is always $45, and adult cats like Nellie are $5 (right now). This includes altering, microchipping, appropriate vaccinations, vet records, and a small bag of cat food. Wow! To me, Nellie is special, but all the animals are deserving of love, and the shelter is always in danger of overcrowding in the summer. Maybe you'll find your new best friend there! read more

Wake County Animal Center - Nellie is happy to be home! - Animal Shelters Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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The young lady sitting at a side window was very cordial. We completed paperwork and left to go look for a dog. My husband went back to the desk to as for help because there was not anyone around. He was told someone will come to unlock a cage. No one showed up. We saw someone bring another person in but she left immediately. We saw 2 ladies standing outside in the hall talking. We told them we asked for help, but instead of offering to help us the spent time telling us they are not to blame and someone's radio must not have been on. But still no offer to assist. Wonder why these pets can't get a home. Slow or no help. This should be a joy when someone comes in to adopt. We have to kook to adopt through another organization. read more

No children allowed in facility because one child got bit. No telling how many animals this policy change has put to death. Logical approach would be to euthanize the ones intentionally bred to be and behave dangerous. I recall they already require signing waiver when I went there years ago. read more

Reasonable price for the dogs etc and they get there shot and microchip etc so it is not high cost to purchase your fur baby like others place be affordable and reasonable prices anybody can afford . read more

#1 complaint is the county isn't properly funding the shelter. Don't rely on the pet description to be accurate. Take newly adopted pets to vet immediately. read more

So I just have to start off by saying the reason I'm giving it four stars is because I just adopted two American staffordshire terriers in November 2025 and they are the most amazing babies ever. They are so sweet and loving and they are just really great well behaved and smart dogs!! We decided to go to the animal center because an all white staffie I saw on their website and I had to have him! The fees were waived at the time too. As soon as we got there there were two women sittting at the front and one was younger and the other was older. We had to fill something out on an iPad and get a sticker for me and my husband and we were allowed to just go look. I had said to them that we wanted to get French toast and they honestly acted like they didn't know who I was talking about. They didn't offer to get someone to helps us or even tell us where to go. They buzzed the door opened and luckily we chose the correct part. We walked around for a minute and finally a staff member asked if we had any questions or anything we said French toast we went to his kennel and they let us in it and left us in the with him. Then another member of staff was walking by and asked if we wanted to take him for a walk.she walked him the entire time.we told her we are getting him and put him back.The lady offered to show us around the rest of the place. So we walked room to room kennel to kennel and saw all the dogs there were 94.Honestly I got super upset because I felt so bad.Most of them seemed like they were sick with some kind of respiratory infection. A lot were on medications and most of them honestly just looked pure terrified. The floor was very wet everywhere and all the dogs looked like the had some yeast issues. Near the end of the tour another lady was coming in with a dog and she was wanting us to adopt that one too she was a little pushy about it I felt like and then I asked them about another dog I had seen online turns out that was French's playgroup girlfriend. We got her too. I noticed first thing though she had really big green gooey eye boogers and it looked like some was dried on her face like no one had taken the time to clean it off her.my vet said her eyes were fine. I also noticed walking around that a lot of dogs had a pile of poop in their kennels or it was all over the place an all over that dog aswell. I know they are probably super short staffed but there were quite a few staff members there.I saw them in random places doing not sure honestly.I just wish I could help them all. It's very upsetting there.We went on a Friday and Monday is when I was able to pick them up.The only thing I'll say about that is if you have a policy of not letting any animal go home until you fix it why not just as soon as they get there go ahead and do it instead of waiting until they are adopted.Just a thought.we went back up to the front to fill out the paperwork.The older lady wasn't friendly and just seems like she had an attitude and didn't want to be there. I was trying to ask questions about everything and she acted like I was annoying her and she never did answer my actual questions.On the website it said their fees were waived for the time but when we get up to the front first I was told it was $90 per dog so I said I thought the fees were waived and even if that's not right both of the dogs are considered long timers so their fee had gone down to $25 regardless of anything being waived.Then the older lady said it only applied to one dog and not if I got more then one so I still had to pay for the second one and again I was told the highest price. I said yall are misleading about fees being waived you need to say that it's only for one dog anything after is regular price.I also had to inform her about them being long timers so it would only be $25. It took absolutely forever for some reason for them to put I was getting them.Monday I was able to get them.Both had been microchipped fixed and all shots.each came with a five pound bag of science diet.Got their medical records and French apparently was housed with a dog that had parvo. I couldn't believe I had read that why would you house a perfectly healthy dog with a very sick dog that is so dumb and very dangerous.A week later the shelter was fined.The air vents and ducts were clogged with all kinds of allergens and bacteria.It was extremely hot there.it was also very wet everywhere most of the dogs looked like they had some type of yeast issues on their feet.my boy French had a skin infection when he came home. They were also fined for dangerous sharp objects exposed in the dog areas and a dog was being taken out and he cut his leg on one of the sharp things and unfortunately passed away because it cut through an artery.If you are going to adopt go there to get them out of the situation they are in and give them a good home.it's a very upsetting sad place so just be aware. read more

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The staff is very helpful. I have adopted here several times. Also come to check for missing strays, both in person and online.

I adopted the sweetest kitty when I was looking for a dog to adopt. She thinks she is a dog . Greets me at the door and follows me all over. read more

ive been adopting my cats from here since 2021 i have 4 cats and friday i am picking my other female cat so exited they do take care very well of all animals never disappoint adopt your new baby here dont buy it! read more

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Pretty disappointed with my visit yesterday, although the staff was very welcoming and friendly this one older lady with long hair was so rude and disrespectful we ended up leaving. My boyfriend and I were trying to view the animals, and were being followed and yelled at the entire time. Yes, we know that you cannot interact with the animals who are adopted so that's not what we were doing. When we asked her to see one of the dogs (since she was already in the room with us of course), she rolled her eyes, scoffed at us, and encouraged us not to because she was new (there wasn't a sign so we didn't know, also another staff member said it was fine). She continued to raise her voice at us although we were being respectful and understanding. We decided to just leave since she wanted us gone so bad. You're supposed to encourage people to adopt the animals, not the other way around! read more

They adopted out a dog to another family in another state although it was chipped and the family had been calling asking about him. Horrible! Just horrible! Irresponsible staff! read more

I went to the shelter to put a deposit on two dogs that were a closet fit to what we wanted. But they had unspecified "health conditions" and had to go to a rescue. when I asked for more information they wouldn't give it to me. Meet our new fur baby. We didn't intend to get her. I took a walk through the kennels. This sweet girl was dropped off at opening. I couldn't believe that knowing the shelter was at capacity, they would drop off a dog. As I walked through the kennel I saw her get put in and I just lost it. I walked out sobbing. This poor girl was wagging her tail happy as a clam and had no idea she was getting dropped off. After talking to my nana, I decided to get her. I got her in my car, and she was so calm and sweet. I had a feeling that My husband would fall in love with her because she had the perfect demeanor. It just depended on how she interacted with Daniel. When we got home Zeus and Athena freaked out. But they settled. She was more afraid of them. But Daniel was SO happy. Just look at his little face! He was so happy. He has called her beena (her shelter name was brandy) and he's called her cookie. She's the sweetest big dog I've ever had. She's silly and I've NEVER heard her bark! I've fallen in love with this sweet pup read more

Went to this shelter looking for an adult cat to add to our family. The people working there were very friendly and helpful. They gave us information on the cats we were interested in and let us know their temperament. Adoption process was extremely simple, we just had to sign a paper and pay the adoption fee of $45. Our cat still needed to get spayed so we had to wait a week to pick her up. When we got there everything was ready for us. All her paperwork and documents were in a folder and the lady at the front explained everything extremely well. We are so happy we found our cat here she's the sweetest thing! read more

Wake County Animal Center - Animal Shelters Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

My elderly Mom felt it was time to consider her having an adult cat for her pet. We read via their website about their adoption policies and discovered their "Senior Laps for Senior Cats" program, which allows persons 60+ to adopt a cat of 3+ years for a $10 adoption fee. The front desk provided us with the "rules" of looking at the cats available for adoption, and then directed us to the cat area. The cages have an informational page on each cat. If the cat was a surrender, there is an additional page that the former owner filled out with information including the reason for the surrender and any useful comments on the cat. I found this to be very helpful as we eliminated a couple of the choices based on particular behaviors of the cat. While I understand they depend upon volunteers and a busy staff to attend to the daily needs of their animals, I would have appreciated more assistance from a volunteer or staff member as we were looking for a cat. For example, I would have liked to have been able to talk with someone that had been working with the cats and described the type of older cat I would have preferred for my Mom and heard their suggestions as to which cats they would recommend. Thanks to the information I read from an owner surrender information page - and one special cat that responded to my Mom - we found the right cat for her. Once we made the decision the staff was super on doing the paperwork and going over the details of the adoption. They also supplied samples of dry food the cat ate at the shelter to make the transition to whatever brand we wanted to use easier on the cat. I am glad Mom got a companion and an older cat got a new home. read more

Wake County Animal Center - Olivia was adopted by my Mom via the "Senior Laps for Senior Cats" program ($10 adoption fee) - Animal Shelters Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I'm sort of window-shopping for a dog right now but I can say that my one visit at Wake County Animal Center was pretty cool. They've got a decent website with all their adoptees ranging from pups to cats, to rabbits and guinea pigs. But of course you can't rely on the web to find your furry best friend. So I drove on over to E. Raleigh to visit the Wake County Animal Center. Big parking lot out front, you sign at the front desk and get a quick de-brief. The space is LARGE and I'm guessing they must have 200+ dogs, 50 - 100 cats and a variety of other critters. If you want to meet the dog, just ask one of the many volunteers walking by, put on some gloves and go bond with your lonely little friend. Most of the dogs here are on the larger side and heavily biased towards staffordshire terriers and their mixes. But there is certainly some variety with that many animals. Overall a really good experience and well-run space. read more

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I went in to check out my adoption options and was severely disappointed. The cages and overall environment that the animals were staying in weren't sanitized or looked cleaned properly. No clean blankets, newspaper or food and water bowls. The walls for the dogs were disgusting, I mean blood trails, puddles of pee and feces. If I could, I would adopt all of these animals, that way they didn't have to spend another day at this facility. Wishing I could give this place 0 stars! read more

Both my babies came from the shelter. The one on the left, (Nyla) was very timid and to herself. The one on the right, (Noah) was outgoing and friendly straight from the shelter. Rescue dogs are the way to go! read more

Wake County Animal Center - My babies. - Animal Shelters Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

The people who work there and volunteer there: top notch! They get a 5. The set up: terrible. That gets a 1. It is disorganized chaos and there are too many people, not enough staff, and no clear-cut line. I was there to look at pets and that line was muddled with the line for people relinquishing their pets and who knows what else. I really didn't even need to be in that line just to look at pets. The cages seem relatively clean (this is in the cat area- I did not go into the dog area, so I don't know anything about that.) I did say that the staff and volunteers are great- there just aren't enough of them. The processing takes forever once you meet your future pet and there aren't many employees to handle the volume of people adopting/surrendering/looking at pets (at least not on the weekend I was there.) That said, I *love* my new beautiful sweet Kitty. He had been there for awhile, but I had been traveling and I was worried he would be adopted by the time I made it in....or worse yet: euthanized. But I was in luck. After over 50 days of being at the shelter, he was still there and I got to bring that sweet purring boy home with me. His fate and my fate crossed paths and now he is living in a safe, nurturing home. I love that they gave him a microchip, all of his shots, neutered him, and sent me home with food. All for $15 because some kind soul sponsored part of his adoption fee. I wish I knew more about his history. I do know he was brought in as a stray. I like the system that you have to put on gloves to handle the kitties. I like that you can hold any of them. They all were so sweet and loved the attention Thank you for giving me my new pet. I am forever grateful. read more

My boyfriend and I went to this shelter to adopt a cat. When we arrived we were told the rules and left to look at all the animals ourselves. There were SO many cats and kittens. We finally chose the one we wanted a sweet little girl that was only 8 weeks old. But, then.. As my boyfriend walked by the other cats a little black and white kitten reached out for him through its cage! He was meowing and acting crazy! We knew we had to have him. What to do except take them both! (And, now he's the more mellow one!) We told the ladies at the front desk we had decided to take two kittens. They again went over the rules with us. The kittens were not spayed/neutered yet so they had to stay at the shelter until that was completed. So, we paid out adoption fee and left. We were able to pick them up a few days later. Everything went great until a few days after getting them home the little girl became very very sick. We rushed her to the vet and found out she had an upper respiratory infection. Most likely she caught it from the shelter.. We spent the next weeks giving her antibiotics and bottle feeding her back to health. A few $100 and lots of love she is perfectly healthy. We love our new babies so much. The reason for this story is to let people know that you should be aware that not every animal you get from the shelter will be perfect in health. Sometimes they're sick, or very afraid. Please make sure you have lots of time and the funds to keep them healthy. I am very thankful we were able to save them. The overall for the shelter is 4 stars. Could definitely be more except most of the staff is not that friendly.. Although, I know it can be tough working with the public and taking in tons of animals. I would go back in the future to adopt. I feel the prices are low and they fix them/microchip them as part of your adoption fee. And, it's over all an easy process. Happy adopting! read more

Wake County Animal Center - My angel! - Animal Shelters Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

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I was looking to adopt/rescue a yellow lab. Imagine my surprise when I found one at the Wake County Animal Shelter. They're very responsive on messages via their website. The front desk staff can be a bit stiff & abrasive, but I gather they are a bit desensitized working there. Some on the kennel staff are better than others. I was happy that the dog kennels were clean & it didn't smell bad. My lab was always in good shape when I went to visit him (while on stray hold). The adoption process is smooth & I appreciate all they do beforehand (vaccines, etc.). read more

We adopted our little angel from this shelter. When we adopted Dums, they gave us a loot bag which had a mouse toy and sample food from Health Science. The staff is amazing and is doing some wonderful work. They seem to genuinely care for the animals. The cages and cat condos are clean and the animals seem to be comfortable. Not sure if this is a No-kill shelter. I hope so! read more

Sad. Very sad. This Animal Center is not near the top of any list of places to adopt a pet but for one reason: the ability to interact with the animal. Otherwise, it's heartbreaking. Thankfully, my experience here was not as bad as Raychul mentioned in her review. The facility seems older, the cages small, but the workers I met and dealt with were courteous enough and when asked, shared the history of the animals and their particular experience, probably owing to their volunteer status. The main reason I'd adopt from this center despite its appearance is to rescue one of the animals. Another positive thing: once you don a gown and gloves, you can interact with the animals as much as you'd like -- pick them up, pet them, hold them, give them lots of attention. And you can do this without filling out forms to be able to do so. That's something not many of the other, nicer places allow. You can come by as often as you'd like and stay as long as you'd like (if you can stand it) with no pressure. If you're looking to adopt a pet, don't let the appearance of this place put you off completely, because the animals here need a home as much as those in any of the other area centers; in fact, probably more. read more

From the very first time I visited the WCAC I could tell one thing, the people who work there truly love and want to do the best for all the animals that stream steadily in on a daily basis. I've volunteered there for the last 5 years and can say that Dr. Jennifer Federico is the best thing that has happened to the WCAC. Not only does she have the vet knowledge to understand what these pet needs, but she truly loves the companion animals that come through the doors. Between, new construction/renovations, a terrific volunteer team, and lots of foster parents life is better for these abandoned animals. read more

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just adopted a shelter pup- place was clean and well run- front desk staff was helpful and polite- was pleasantly surprised..... good experience and we got a great pup read more

Wake County Animal Center - Animal Shelters Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I'm giving this place 2 stars because the staff are really friendly BUT so unorganized! They always say to check online for their available dogs and we saw a poodle online a perfect fit for our family. The poodle arrived there the week before I drove out there to adopt him but when I drive out there I couldn't find him. I asked the lady at the front desk and she said someone adopted him the day he got there and I showed her the website and it still had him on there and it says "new" and there was another little dog that said "new" but someone adopted. I dont have time to be driving back and forth just to find out if the dog is there or not and when I call they say we're not allowed to hold dogs but by the time I get there the dog could b gone already!! read more

After all was said and done, we were able to adopt the most precious kitty (and the mouthiest), so I can't complain too much. We went on a Friday to find our cat. After going through and dealing with some fairly nice people, we settled on the kitty we wanted. We filled out the paperwork and whatnot, and were told we'd have to wait for her to be fixed before we could take her home on Monday. But, we were told we could visit any time. The next day, Saturday, we went back after lunch to visit our new family member. She wasn't in her cage, so we asked. We were told that she was sick and taken back to the vet area, and we couldn't see her or take her home for 10 days. We were pissed, and my fiance spent a good chunk of the night crying. Monday, she called to see what the status was and if we could convince them to let us have her sooner. As it turns out, they said she WASN'T sick (WTF?) and we could take her home that afternoon. Yay! We got our kitty! Oh. She was definitely sick. It took a week of force-feeding her medicine to get her to be a "normal" cat again. The process was awful, but the outcome was awesome. We now have a cat who likes to sit on my lap while I poop. read more

Unfortunately, I did not have the best experience at Wake County Animal Center. About 2 1/2 months ago my daughter and I were searching for a new dog to bring into our family. We went to the SPCA first but they were having a great weekend and barely had any dogs left! So, we made our way to Wake County Animal Center. First and foremost, the gentleman working the front (there is only one male who works the front) ignored us for about 10 minutes while he just sat there on his phone. He was then VERY RUDE and from my opinion just lazy. Others standing in line mentioned the same experience with him which certainly did not make it any better. With the exception of 1 volunteer in the back no one was remotely in any rush to help us nor even friendly. After adopting our girl and giving them our money they told us we had to come back in 3 days because she needed to be spayed. We get a call 2 days saying "never mind she's fixed". Upon picking her up we walked her outside to let her go potty before our drive back home and a worker came over to us and said 'we are taking pictures here (they were not when we went over there) and whose the boss you or the dog?. We haven't even been dog moms for 5 minutes before this. The dog was pulling a lot and had never been on a leash before! We knew this going in and training would be required but the fact that someone came over to say something felt just rude. And while I want to mention the quality of their existing pictures I realize that will make me rude like the staff there :) I decided to give them one more chance and called a month after adoption. Wondering if I sent a picture would they send it to the previous owners or if they would like to do a write up? Just some 'good news' about a mom and daughter adopting their first dog! The person that answered the phone said 'uh sure, I guess'. I just hung up so frustrated and even sad because of the lack of support from this center. While I know the pets should not suffer I will not be quick to recommend Wake County Animal Shelter over all of the other rescue places in Wake County and the surrounding areas. We are extremely thankful for our new pup who is wonderful and amazing but that was pure luck and had nothing to do with the poor staff that we encountered at The Wake County Animal Center. read more

I can only assume that some things have changed here since these bad reviews from a while ago. I went today "just to look", and ended up adopting a dog (ok, I kind of knew it was coming). Many of the volunteers seemed very knowledgeable about the temperaments and habits of individual dogs, which told me that they're paying attention. Those who weren't really knowledgeable were at least friendly and professional. The kennels seemed pretty clean to me. There was a lot of pee on the floor, but I think that's probably to be expected. Most of the kennels didn't have poop in them, and I noticed a couple that did, but it was gone after I did another few laps around the dog rooms. I also noticed (I was there for a couple of hours), that they periodically paired dogs together for short spans of time, dogs that had been in separate cages. I'm assuming that it was for some dog-on-dog snuggle time, since in every case the dogs seemed to be cuddling and resting together. I thought that seemed nice. I got a lot of good advice and reassurance from one particularly helpful volunteer who was walking dogs. She took a lot of time with me and the dog I was looking at, and seemed to care very much about the outcome for the dog. She was super attentive to the dog, and offered some tips for after neutering that I'd never heard (like putting little boy underwear on him to keep him from licking the stitches, she says it's more comfortable than those giant cones and works just as well. Isn't that clever?!). The dog gets neutered tomorrow and then I can go back and get him. Such a long night waiting! Maybe I should have waited to leave this review until I see that the surgery goes well, but everything seems great so far and I'm excited to see my new buddy again soon! read more

This place is a horror. With 4 years of vet experience and 3 years of volunteering at an animal shelter, I was shocked at the obvious animal neglect and the filthy living quarters that was at this shelter. The people working at this shelter obviously do not care for the well-being of these animals. They were rude, uncaring and completely unhelpful. There were multiple adult cats sharing a single metal cage that was too small for even one full-size cat. They had no blankets and no toys. Most slept on urine soaked newspaper that looked like it had been there for days. Each dog kennel had more than one pile of poop, which told me those too had not been cleaned for hours. Just walking into the dog room took my breath away by the stench of the place. This "shelter" should be closed immediately, for it is filthy, and even unfit for a child to walk around in. My heart goes out to each animal there, as I believe for some, a peaceful passing would be more welcomed than another night spent in a dirty, cramped cage. read more

We adopted three amazing canine family members from the Wake County Animal Shelter. The staff and volunteers are wonderful, making sure that the animals are socialized and loved while they wait for their families. Our three babies, one shepherd and two pitties, go with us everywhere-hiking, mountain vacations, and trips to Starbucks. read more

Wake County Animal Center - Our two Wake County pitties, Clement and Vonni - Animal Shelters Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

I have been to several shelters in the area at various times to adopt dogs/puppies. This shelter has a very different dynamic than others. I'm not sure if its because of its size or if the volunteers are just awesome, but the dogs here have a much different attitude than at other shelters. I've been to others where every dog looks frazzled and terrified. For the most part, every dog or puppy here is happy. Most of them are jumping up and down, excites to see you. We have now adopted 2 dogs from here and absolutely love them. The process of getting them fixed, then picking them up has been very simple and quick. The one downside (and probably should roll this down to a 3 star), there is not enough staff. I'm sure that's a budget issue, but we went on a Saturday (I'm sure that's when most people come through, since they're off work) but there was only one volunteer and one kennel attendant working. It took us 20 minutes to get someone to unlock the kennel for us to see an animal. I went on a previous Friday and there was more staff, but definitely not enough. read more

Wake County Animal Center - Skylar (our new adopted dog) on her first day at her furever home. - Animal Shelters Near Me - Raleigh, North Carolina

While the Kennel help is amazing - I've been helped look at a lot of dogs from the volunteers and workers there. I feel the front desk help is a little cold. The way they talk to folks sometimes either leaves me shaking my head or wanting to scream at them. I understand you are full. I understand that so many people surrendering is an awful thing. But I don't feel its right to be so judgmental, especially when I do see someone visibly distraught over having to turn over an animal. The facility itself is great. I'm surprised they are able to keep it as clean as it is! Sure do wish it wasn't so full of pitbbys. read more

So many adorable, amazing pets, taken in across the county, from dogs and cats to rodents and rabbits. I once saw a pig on their website was adopted. Likely in need of funding to keep up, but the conditions have levels of adequacy. We adopted a couple dogs simultaneously from them. Understandable their being over capacity must strain their work, but it was difficult since one dog we adopted has a brother, and we've left him behind. I'm hoping to reunite the two and get into contact with whoever calls the shots or adopts the brother. I question much regarding the medical management of the pets, not terribly much, but I don't get clear, straight answers to crucial questions, like why even if with the money infections and parasites aren't fully treated, and if kept from growing more but still present, wouldn't that still harm the animals. Discouraging me from getting both brothers didn't help, we weren't even discussing compromises or ways to really evaluate their cases. Though the shelter's not overwhelmingly to blame for the visit being rushed with a set amount of time we were to be there. At the very least in need of collaboration, but also owing full, open context for the sakes of the pets most of all. read more

We adopted the most wonderful "MIx" today! The staff was absolutely wonderful, the amount of pets available was surprising, so we found it hard to decide, but the relaxed atmosphere made it easy for us to spend a good amount of time with our new pet! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! read more

We tried to come and see dogs up for adoption as we are ready to buy and give a loving home to a furry friend. This place was horrible. 1st, we were on the phone for 30 min trying to reach them due to corona virus and then I knocked on the door and the lady very rudely shouted the extension number to us and then closed the door. So we call that extension number and the exact same lady picks up and tells us that the next available appointment is two weeks from now. 2 weeks from now? It made no sense the parking lot was empty and so was the building. We asked if we could walk and see animals today and we had our masks and everything, but no. It is sad that animals that need homes will not get adopted because places like this make it impossible to even see the dogs. Staff was rude. read more

We have adopted animals from several rescue groups over the years and I am just over it . All these groups soliciting funds and duplicating services. WHY NOT everyone working together to make our County shelter the best in the country ????? These folks are doing a great job with limited resources . We just adopted a kitten from here this past week . One warning --- no matter how badly you want the animal do NOT take their word that if the animals has fleas they will take care of it Their policy is that they neuter an animal AFTER you place a deposit for adoption . After receiving the money they operate on the animal that night and you pick the animal up the next day . We were assured that our kitten's fleas would be taken care of. BUT when we came to pick her up we were told the Vet had checked her out with a comb before surgery and had not found any fleas to be treated , You know very well that the Vet did not go through that cat's fur methodically before surgery . . So now we are dealing with fleas in our house ----our fault . We should have just not fallen in love with " Fleabag " The other reason I am not giving the County shelter Five Stars is their policy of holding animals for rescue groups even if a person comes in wanting to adopt the animal FROM the COUNTY --- so they hold and later give the animal away to a group where it MIGHT get adopted rather than letting it go to a definite adoption that shows up at their door.I guess they feel the need to appease the Rescue Groups --- which leads me back to my original assertion . All these rescue groups need to get over themselves and apply their resources to helping the County Shelter prosper --- I am looking at YOU SPCA TAJ MAHAL . O.K, vent over. KAITHANXBAI read more

Adopted a cat here recently and had a great experience. The adoption process was smooth and there was a nice variety of cats and kittens "ready to go home today". With their vaccinations and FIV tested. The facility was clean and cats all looked healthy; most seemed friendly and only a few looked scared. The location is a little inconvenent but it's worth the drive! I tried looking at rescues first because they've got very descriptive listings online which makes searching easy. But their process is a barrier with foster volunteers all spread out and a lengthy screening process. Many even require a home visit to evaluate your home environment. I'd definitely recommend Wake County Animal Center as your first stop for cat adoption. read more

I just want to thank the people who work at this center special the Drs. Some one had brought my dog Tickles there after finding her in there front yard she had a brain tumor and had gotten away from me that morning, she has sizures often and most of had one very badly that morning.. They took good care of her and went out of there way to locate me so I could bring her home not the way I wanted but at least she came home.. you are awesome center thank you!!! read more

Holy Smokes.....My 200th Review. Appropriate this review is very close to my Heart. Went with the Lady on a nice Saturday afternoon to perhaps look for a furry buddy. Crowded in the Lobby and I noticed the employees aren't the friendliest in the world. If I had to accept surrendered animals every day I probably wouldn't be the happiest camper in the world. The volunteers are wonderful. You can feel the love and respect they have for these animals and on this day there were a lot on hand so they were available to answer questions and help with the interaction with the animals. I was somewhat surprised...I thought there would be more cats and dogs up for adoption. Probably less than 15 cats and 30 dogs. Still too many, I wish I could find a good home for all of them. They all deserve our love. Most of the cats are domestic short hairs, but there was a little Persian look-a-like that got my attention, to the tune of several deep scratches to my hands. Maybe a little too fiesty for me. 95% of the dogs are Pit Bull/mixes. It's a shame. You've got to hope they have a future. The Center was clean, better than I had hoped, so someone cares and is doing a good job. I didn't adopt, but I'll be back. They need our care and love...don't forget them.....and donations certainly help support the Center. read more

I love the people here...they gave me one of the loves of my life. My Rosie. I adopted Rosie May 2013. I will never forget seeing her in the kennel, scared & shaking and covered in ticks....100's of ticks. I was very angry at the people who worked there because of the unacceptable shape she was in. I have since realized that my anger was not at the workers there. They had treated her with tick medication, given her a safe place to lay her head & food to fill her belly. My anger was at the situation, at the human who had neglected her in the first place & allowed her to get in this horrific shape. WCAC rescued her which allowed her to then rescue me. The workers & volunteers at this shelter do a great job with compassion & love given to 100's of animals everyday who may have never known love before. It's not perfect, but what would be perfect given this situation? It's the people who have neglected their animals, who don't get them spayed/neutered that allow this injustice to continue. The breeders and those who buy from breeders that allow these wonderful animals to die EVERYDAY. If the workers at the front seem cold and less than understanding when someone comes in to dump off a living being then so be it! That's the least these people deserve. And yes, life happens, but there are always other options. My Rosie was a stray and left unclaimed. She obviously suffered abuse & neglect before being rescued. She is still very skiddish around certain types of people and any loud noises or sudden movements still scare her. She does have a wonderful life now and you can even see her smile! She's loved and will never be left again no matter what. Thank you to the many volunteers & employees of WCAC for my Rosie and for all you do everyday. read more

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