Orange County Animal Services (OCAS) needs to find homes for available dogs at the shelter. Recently, the number of dog adoptions at OCAS has decreased. The staff at OCAS report an increase in the length of stay for dogs at the shelter and the number of dogs is increasing. The Animal Services facility has many wonderful dogs available for adoption and some available as part of their medical foster program.
“It is a little unusual for us to see a reduction in dog adoptions for an extended period of time,” said Orange County Animal Services Director, Dr. Sandra Strong. “The longer animals stay in our shelter, the more likely that they experience stress and anxiety. We do everything we can to provide enrichment and keep them comfortable, but dogs really need to be with families that can help them establish routines in a loving home environment. The home environment is where dogs can be social, thrive and settle into happy lives.”
You do not need to be an Orange County resident to adopt a pet from OCAS. Adoptions fees for dogs include: health screening, standard vaccinations, flea and tick prevention, heartworm testing (for dogs seven months and older) and heartworm preventative, spay or neuter surgery, microchip, and broad-spectrum deworming.
If anyone is interested in viewing available pets or adopting a dog, please visit www.orangecountync.gov/287/Available-Pets or visit the shelter to select your new best friend. You may also call the OCAS adoption desk at 919-942-7387, menu option 3, for more information.