After grappling with a contagious canine illness that led to the untimely death of three dogs, the Wake County Animal Center is ready to slowly reopen its doors to the public starting today. The facility, which had to temporarily halt operations on February 7 due to an outbreak of Streptococcus zooepidemicus, has now cleared all available dogs for adoption after a necessary quarantine period and treatment protocol, according to information from WRAL.
The center is eager to quickly move forward with finding homes for the 240 animals currently under their wing—142 at the center and the rest in foster care. However, adoptions mark only the first park in the Wake County Animal Center's multi-phase approach to fully resume services. "Now that we’ve reopened, our top priority is finding homes for the many dogs and cats still in our care," Dr. Jennifer Federico told WRAL. Stray animal intake will follow as the second phase, but the schedule for reopening subsequent stages will be announced on the center's official website and social media channels.
Adoptive pet parents can feel reassured knowing that each pet comes spayed or neutered, microchipped, and updated on annual vaccines. For those considering adopting a heartworm-positive dog, assistance is available through the Heal a Heart Program, which offers $350 vouchers to help cover necessary medication costs. Details on the voucher program can be found on the center's communication platforms, and the center itself is open for adoptions from noon to 6 p.m. daily at 820 Beacon Lake Drive in Raleigh, as stated in Restoration News Media.
The shelter's team has worked tirelessly to respond to and manage the effects of the 'Strep Zoo' outbreak to ensure the safety of animals and staff alike. The full recovery and clearance of the animals for adoption has been a significant milestone in the shelter's path back to normalcy. "Since then the animals in the shelter have completed treatment and are cleared for adoption," ABC 11 reported.
