ADOPT A PET

Our adoption process is a simple conversation with an Adoption Specialist to discuss the pet you've chosen; it should take around 20 minutes.  During the process, your Adoption Specialist will answer any questions you have, give you more information about the pet, and help make sure that your chosen pet is the right fit for you.  You can begin the adoption process by filling out the Adoption Survey linked on this page where you will also be able to self-schedule this appointment time.

• Adult Dogs (7 months and older): $120 ($180 for bonded pair)
• Puppies (6 months and younger): $325 ($475 for bonded pair)
• Adult Cats (7 months and older): $65 ($120 for bonded pair)
• Kittens (6 months and younger): $175 ($300 for bonded pair)
• Bunnies: $50 ($90 for bonded pair)
• Guinea Pigs: $25 ($40 for bonded pair, $60 for bonded trio)
• Hamsters, Gerbils, & Mice: $15 ($25 for bonded pair)
• Rats: $20 ($35 for bonded pair, $50 for bonded trio)

Our Pet Adoption Center is located at 200 Petfinder Lane in Raleigh, North Carolina. Click here to get directions and find our open hours.

Yes! With our new online adoption survey, you can complete the adoption process remotely wherever you are. However, we do need you (or someone on your behalf) to come in person to our Pet Adoption Center in Raleigh, NC to pick up your pet. Generally, pets must be picked up the same day that you submit your adoption survey. Or, if you submit your survey at the very end of the day, their hold may be extended to the following day.

For adult pets, we highly recommend that you personally come to meet the pet yourself prior to finalizing adoption to be sure they are the right fit.

We recommend that you still submit an adoption survey for that pet in order to be a backup adopter. If the first adopter falls through (which does happen), then the next adopter will be notified that the pet is on hold for them.

We can only process a limited number of back-ups per pet; if you’re unable to select a pet, this means that the maximum number of back-ups has already been met. But this is the perfect time to consider some of the other adoptable pets, including overlooked pets, who are patiently waiting for loving homes!

In order to be fair to the pet and other potential adopters, we are only able to hold the pet until you have completed your adoption appointment. Once you have submitted your survey and come in for your scheduled adoption appointment, please be prepared to bring the pet home with you right afterward. There are some circumstances in which holds may be extended, such as a pet who is waiting for their spay/neuter surgery. Your Adoption Specialist will discuss any applicable exceptions with you during the adoption process.

Your appointment is to complete the adoption process with an Adoption Specialist.  Your Specialist will not call the pet over from another location until this conversation is complete.  To save you from potentially having to make multiple trips, we would recommend doing the adoption process by phone; then we can arrange for a time for you to meet the pet. Pet visits typically happen at the Adoption Center on Petfinder Lane, unless you’re told otherwise to meet at another location.

In order to have enough time for adopters to complete the adoption process, meet their desired pet, and finalize paperwork before closing, our team cannot start the adoption process after this time. We may be able to squeeze you in, but that is dependent on staffing as well as what meetings and pick-ups are already scheduled.

Submitting an Adoption Survey automatically places that pet on hold for you. But in order to be as fair as possible to the pets in our care and to other potential adopters, we aren't able to keep a pet on hold for you for an extended period of time. Because of this, we only offer adoption appointments within a certain window from when you first put that pet on hold.

In order to be fair to all adopters, we are only able to place one pet on hold for you at a time (or two, in the case of a bonded pair). If you need help deciding which pet is the best fit for you, our Dog Butler and Cat Butler volunteers can talk with you about what you're looking for and recommend pets that would fit your family.

If you’re interested in adopting but don’t have a particular pet in mind, we recommend browsing our adoptable pets online through the set of links above. Or come visit them in person at our Pet Adoption Center any day of the week from 11am to 6pm! If you visit in person, our Dog Butler and Cat Butler volunteers can talk with you about what you're looking for and recommend pets that would fit your family.

To help you find a great match, each pet's bio includes information about any known or observed history, demographics such as age and weight, and other considerations like medical conditions.

Once you have chosen a pet, you can put them on hold right away by submitting an Adoption Survey.

We are glad to accommodate dog-to-dog introductions (and even guinea pig-to-guinea pig, or bunny-to-bunny)! But first, you will need to submit an Adoption Survey to put the pet on hold. Then, let an Adoption Specialist know you would like to do a pet introduction, and we will arrange this at the time of your scheduled adoption appointment.

Please note: we are not able to do cat-to-cat meetings or intros for pets of different species (such as a dog and a cat). Instead, consider trying a Pet Sleepover.

Adult dogs and cats (1 year and older) are eligible for a program called Pet Sleepovers where you can bring the pet home as a temporary foster to try them out in your home prior to finalizing adoption. Read more about Pet Sleepovers here.

Thank you for your interest in fostering! The pets at the Pet Adoption Center are ready for adoption, so they do not need the help of foster homes. But we always need fosters for sick, injured, nursing, or neonatal pets to help them get healthy and ready for adoption. Read more about our Foster program here.

You will need to bring your government issued photo ID. All dogs must leave on a leash and martingale collar/harness, and all cats and small pets must leave in species-appropriate carriers (no cardboard boxes, please). If you do not have these items, you can conveniently purchase them through the SPCA Retail Store at competitive prices, where all proceeds go directly to help the SPCA’s life-saving mission. The Retail Store accepts cash or cards for payment of adoption fees and other purchases (no checks).

You are under no obligations by submitting a survey. If you meet the pet and change your mind or decide that now is not the best time to adopt, we understand. Please inform an Adoption Specialist as soon as possible so they can cancel the hold on that pet and make them available to other adopters.

If you’ve already completed your appointment with an Adoption Specialist, your information will stay on file for 6 months so that the next time you submit a survey, you can quickly and easily pick up where you left off.

If you haven’t completed your appointment, you will just need to re-submit a survey whenever you are ready to adopt or get on file to adopt.

We can never be certain of the breed mixes of our adoptable dogs, and we would rather help you adopt based on the individual dog’s personality. Read more about the elimination of breed labels here.

No; we are unable to provide vet care for owned pets. Once the adoption has been finalized, your pet will need to begin seeing its own veterinarian to receive important vaccines and any other medical care.