Our Response to COVID-19 (Coronavirus)

Dear Friends of APS of Durham,

We have some important information to share with you about the steps we are taking to address COVID-19 (Coronavirus) in our shelter for the safety of our staff, volunteers and community. Please see below to find out how to access the shelter during this time, especially if you find yourself in need of finding a lost pet, surrending your pet, or interested in adopting a pet.

The well-being of the community and our animals is always the top priority for us at APS of Durham. Therefore, we are making some adjustments to our operations to do our part in keeping our staff, volunteers and the community safe and healthy during this uncertain time.

First and foremost, our shelter staff will still be present and working hard every day to care for our animals. However, we have determined that the best course of action is to limit shelter traffic to appointment only visits for surrenders and lost pet searches.

How can I access the shelter?

How can I see if my lost pet is in the shelter?

If you wish to make an appointment at the shelter to look for a lost pet, please call 919-560-0640 ext. 9 to speak with a staff person.

How do I adopt an animal at this time?

Our adoptable pets will be going into foster homes where they can co-quarantine with a loving foster parent. Please visit our website at http://www.apsofdurham.org/cats for a list of adoptable cats in foster homes as well as those still in the shelter, and http://www.apsofdurham.org/dogs to view adoptable dogs currently in foster homes and also in the shelter.

Please send an email to adopt@apsofdurham.org if you are interested in adopting any of the animals in foster care. Only those animals in foster care will be available for adoption at this time. We are appreciative of your support and cooperation.

Additionally, we are working diligently with other local partner rescue organizations to find alternate placement for as many of our animals as possible. This will help to increase their probability of adoption during this unusual time. We are grateful for the enthusiastic support of our partnering agencies.

How can I surrender an animal to the shelter at this time?

If you wish to make an appointment at the shelter to surrender your pet at this time, please call 919-560-0640 ext. 9 to speak with a staff person.

Is APS of Durham still holding and participating in community events during this time?

We are cancelling all APS of Durham community outreach events and ‘meet and greet’ events through at least March 22, 2020. We will make further determinations about events going forward as we learn more about the situation in our community.

Partner businesses that have scheduled to hold events for APS of Durham may still plan to hold those events. Please contact those businesses directly for more information on the status of the event.

Is APS of Durham still planning to hold Pints for Paws and the Walk For The Animals events?

Pints for Paws craft beverage festival has been postponed until the Fall of 2020 out of concern for the safety of our community and our desire to do our part to help stop the proliferation of the virus. Please check back for more details as we will post more information as details are finalized. We are grateful for the support of our sponsors and participating beverage vendors, and wish them all the very best during this challenging time.

Currently, we are holding off on making any decisions about  our Walk For The Animals events. Though we hope to be able to hold this fun festival as planned, the health and safety of our community will take priority in making our decisions. Please check back for more information weekly, as we will update this page as the situation progresses.

We pledge to make every effort to ensure our event sponsors and participants are kept informed of the status of these events. We are grateful for the support that our community has demonstrated for us. We cannot succeed without you.

When will these changes take effect?

These changes to our operations will take effect on Saturday, March 14, 2020 and will continue until further notice.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation as we implement these operational changes in the interest of our community. Please keep an eye on our website and social media for updates. Wishing good health and safety for our entire community.