The Wake County Animal Center is grappling with severe overcrowding, housing nearly 250 dogs and 300 cats. To ease the overcrowding, the center is waiving adoption fees through August 31 as part of the "Clear the Shelter Extravaganza."
Tucker was the first dog adopted from the Raleigh shelter on Saturday by Corredius and Heather Yarborough.
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"He's a high energy player but he's also low energy when it's time to chill out," Corredius Yarborough said.
The adoption is comfort for the canine, but the center is still caring for nearly 250 other dogs and puppies plus nearly 300 cats and kittens.
"We just cannot accommodate the influx of all these animals," said transfer coordinator Cindy Lynch. "We can get 10 out and 30 will come in. So we're beating our heads against the wall most of the time."
It's a familiar situation that staff say is pushing the facility to the brink and making space a concern.
In August 2024, WRAL News reported the shelter had reached capacity and encouraged the community to adopt. In June 2024, the shelter also reported being "over capacity."
To help encourage adoptions, the center is waiving adoption fees through August 31. It's an effort called the "Clear the Shelter Extravaganza."
Animal center staff blame what they call a "lack of spay/neuter laws" for the overcrowding. They also believe some people don't understand the full responsibility of adopting an animal.
"It's expensive to spay and neuter and so if there were more clinics that would lower costs [for] spay/neuter, it would be a great help to families," Lynch said. "We need a bigger building and I think that's being taken into consideration. But the bigger you got, the more it'll fill up. So, it's a catch 22."
No animal leaves the center without being spayed or neutered.
For the Yarborough's, it's a small step in helping to curb the big influx.
"It's just matter of people recognizing -- and they also have recommendations for different clinics to take your pets to," Corredius Yarborough said.
With Tucker on his way to a new home, center staff hope other animals will make a similar and permanent exit.