APS of Orange County > Programs > APS Adoption Center

APS Adoption Polocies and Procedures

We provide descriptions of our dogs and cats as opinions only and as guides to help place our animals in the most appropriate homes.

The APS requires each prospective adoptive family to complete its adoption application. Landlord and vet checks are performed before an adoption can take place. No animal can be adopted out to a residence that has a no-pets policy. In cases where pet deposits are required, proof of deposit must be provided. Adopters with roommates must have permission and/or have roommates meet the prospective animal before adoption. To help ensure compatibility, people who already have a dog at home are encouraged to bring him/her to the adoption center to meet the prospective new pet . Persons adopting animals from the APS Adoption Center must be of legal age (18 years or older).

Because of its strong commitment to shelter animals and to help ensure equal treatment of all animals in our community, the Animal Protection Society of Orange County (APS) does not currently accept strays or surrenders.

The APS does not adopt out animals as gifts. Animals are adopted out as family pets or companion animals. The APS does not allow any animal to be adopted solely for use as a guard dog, hunter, or mouser. Cats are adopted out for indoor living. Dogs are adopted out for indoor living only, with outdoor privileges. Dogs are adopted out to homes where suitable shelter and exercise will be provided. The APS Adoption Center director or a designated representative has the right to refuse to allow a person to adopt an animal if he/she has reason to doubt the adequacy of the prospective adopter’s home environment. The APS Adoption Center director or a designated representative has the right to require an in-home visitation both before and after an adoption.

The APS strives to perform same-day adoptions, but also encourages prospective adopters to reflect on their adoption decisions prior to choosing animals at the adoption center. When a prospective adopter is very interested in a particular animal but needs to be sure of the adoption decision, the APS will hold the animal as a courtesy for 24 hours. For more than 24 hours, the prospective adopter can secure a 72-hour hold with a completed application and non-refundable deposit of $25.

As part of the adoption process, all dogs and cats receive a health examination, are inoculated, receive a routine de-worming, and are microchipped. Microchip information is registered with the American Kennel Club Microchip Registry. In addition, all dogs over six months of age are given a heartworm test, and all cats over six weeks of age are given a feline leukemia test.

Dogs and cats of suitable age and physical condition are spayed/neutered before the adoption process can be completed and the new pet can go home with his/her adoptive family. In the exceptional cases where this is not possible, the new pet owner must agree to return the animal for spaying/neutering at the Nicks Road Veterinary Clinic and the adoption center staff will follow up to ensure this occurs.

Once an animal has been sterilized and adopted, the adopter becomes the legal owner of the animal. The APS will not reveal the new owner’s name or address to the previous owner, or to any member of the public.

All adopters must go through adoption counseling before the adoption process can be completed. Adopters must sign a contract describing the responsibilities inherent in the adoption. Each dog adopter is highly encouraged to participate in our three free adoption center-to-home transition classes. The APS follows up on all adopted animals to ensure that the terms of the contract are being met.

All dogs and cats must have collars and identification tags before going home with their new owners. All cats must be restrained in carriers and dogs must have leashes.

Following adoption, we are available to assist and advise adoptive families in any way we can. Obedience training for dogs is recommended, and APS has a wonderful dog training program offering a wide array of classes five times a year. Go to animalprotectionsociety.org for more information about the dog training program and low-cost spay/neuter services available through the Nicks Road Veterinary Clinic.

Adoption fees are non-refundable and have already been spent caring for other animals. The APS is not a public shelter and relies entirely on modest program fees and contributions from the public. Please support the APS of Orange County. We make friends for life.

Animal Protection Society of Orange County
Street Address: 6311-A Nicks Road × Mebane , NC 27302-9283
Mailing Address: PO Box 3758 × Chapel Hill, NC 27515-3758
(919) 304-2300 × animalprotectionsociety.org

Speckles - Female;
1 year

Personality Profile: Hi! My name is "Speckles!" I am a mixed breed female who will be 1 year old on March 10! My sister Minnie and I have been in foster care since we were born. We came to the APS in hopes of finding a family to call our own. We are very sweet and loving. We have always been kept in the home so we are house-trained and crate-trained. We are great with other dogs, cats, and children. Our hobbies include playing with lots of toys, running and walking on a leash or in a back yard, playing fetch, and cuddling on the couch! Mainly we just want to be wherever you are! We are very energetic and need lots of attention and exercise. We do not require being adopted together, in fact, it would be wonderful to be top dog! Come see us at the APS and give us a chance to make your house a home!