Available Pets

-Visiting- 

The Orange County Animal Shelter has many wonderful, available pets! Animals are available on a first-come, first-served basis.* No appointment needed! Please stop by to view available pets and, while visiting, you may request to meet with an available pet. Meetings with pets last for 15 minutes. Due to a staffing shortage, meetings with available pets end 1 hour before closing. However, you are welcome to walk through adoption areas and view available pets until closing time. 

 If you have questions about available pets or about visiting our facility, please call 919-942-7387, option 3, to speak with a staff member at our adoption desk. If the staff is unable to answer right away, please leave a clear message with your full name and contact number. Our staff responds to messages in the order they are received. Every effort will be made to respond to messages the same day, but it is possible that you may not receive a callback until the next business day due to the high volume of calls we often receive. See our hours on this page.

*If multiple people arrive at the shelter to meet a highly-adoptable pet (such as a special, popular breed), OCAS employees may draw names to determine who is first eligible to meet with and adopt the pet. This is a random drawing to promote fairness and only one member from any household may enter the drawing.

-Introducing Pets-

DUE TO CONFIRMED CASES OF CANINE INFLUENZA IN OUR AREA, WE ARE TEMPORARILY SUSPENDING DOG-TO-DOG MEETINGS AT OUR SHELTER. WE WILL MONITOR REPORTED CASES IN OUR COUNTY AND SURROUNDING AREAS, AND WE WILL RESUME THESE MEETINGS WHEN IT IS SAFER FOR ALL ANIMALS INVOLVED.

Please visit this page for more information about Canine Influenza (also called Canine Flu). 

Please visit this page for our recommendations on introducing new pets (dogs or cats) to other pets in your home.

-Adopting-

Some animals can be taken home the same day they are adopted, but those adoptions must occur before a certain time of day and are dependent upon several factors. If you are interested in taking a pet home on the same day you adopt, please consult with the adoption desk to find out if that pet is able to go home right away. See more information on adoption and adoption fees on this page.

-Caring For Adopted Pets-

Visit this page for tips and information on caring for adopted pets.