Cumberland County Dropping Pet Adoption Fees Through Dec. 15

Adopting pets will be free at Cumberland County Animal Services during the Empty the Shelters event from December 1 to December 15. BISSELL Pet Foundation sponsors this nationwide event to encourage families to adopt pets. Normally, adoption fees are $100 for dogs and $70 for cats, which cover vaccines and other care.

The shelter, located at 4704 Corporation Drive, Fayetteville, NC, is open to visitors Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m. Adoptions are first-come, first-served. Families can take home two pets, with adopters needing to be at least 18 years old and have a valid photo ID.

New pet owners get several services for each adopted animal. Dogs and cats receive a rabies shot, combo vaccine, deworming, flea treatment, microchip, and spay or neuter surgery. Dogs also get checked for heartworms.

This BISSELL Pet Foundation event brings communities across the U.S. together to find pets new families. Cumberland County is key in improving animal care. Their live release rate jumped from less than 30% in 2012 to over 80%, aided by various programs.

For major improvements in live releases, Cumberland County Animal Services received a Transformational Change Award from Best Friends Animal Society. This recognized the biggest increase in successes among shelters handling 2,000 to 10,000 animals yearly. Now, more than 80% of their animals find new homes.

Additional support comes from a $40,000 Petco Love grant. It helps fund many life-saving programs, including TNVR. This stands for Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, and Return, significantly reducing the number of stray kittens and cut euthanasias.

For more information, residents can visit cumberlandcountync.gov/animals or call 910-321-6852. Cumberland County Animal Services shares updates on social media at @CumberlandNCAnimalServices.