The Wake County Animal Center is applying a new policy around younger visitors after a scary ordeal where a young girl was hurt.
The organization said starting Saturday, May 17, children and visitors under 18 will no longer be able to enter the adoption floor, including those accompanied by an adult.
The decision comes days after a mother and her 8-year-old daughter were attacked by a dog at the location.
“We’re deeply committed to the safety and well-being of both
our visitors and the animals in our care,” said Dr. Jennifer Federico, director
of the Wake County Animal Center. “Dogs are a beloved part of the family, and we know children love visiting them, but the shelter environment can be overwhelming and stressful for many pets, especially when we are at overcapacity for most of the year. This policy helps us create a calmer, safer space for animals as they wait for their forever homes.”
Lauren Seagroves, the mother of the girl who was attacked, said that this new policy is good to have in place.
“I would never want a parent or child to experience the horrific ordeal we had to face while trying to do the right thing by donating material and trying to give a loving home to a dog in need,” said Seagroves. “We are trying to heal but it is going to be a long and slow recovery ahead for my daughter. I hope their volunteers and staff are properly trained on how to handle an attack such as ours.”
WCAC said its goal is to maintain a calm, secure environment for both visitors and animals.
The center said families are still encouraged to adopt and will be encouraged to look at animals in foster care.
WCAC’s history of issues with their animals is not new.
In August 2023, the shelter began euthanizing pets due to lack of space for the first time in seven years. A month after they began euthanizing, they began to face another overcrowding crisis and began waiving adoption fees.
Since then, the shelter has continued to face even more euthanasia crises and waive more adoption fees to encourage more people to adopt.
After an outbreak of a deathly virus for pets, WCAC stopped adoption services in February 2025. Less than a month later, they quickly resumes adoptions as the shelter quickly reached overcapacity again.
WCAC is the only local shelter that never turns an animal away.
“When we get close to capacity, we have to use our space differently,” said Federico, in this statement from 2023. “We divide up the kennels, so we can fit two dogs inside instead of one. It’s not ideal as a crowded and noisy shelter can make our animals feel more stressed, both physically and emotionally.”
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