Animal Protection Society of Durham

This shelter takes such great care of their animals. They truly care about each pet in their care. They have an enrichment program for dogs to ensure they’re staying mentally stimulated. They truly care about these animals going to the right homes.

This is a great place to find your next best friend. There are so many dogs, cats, and small animals that need loving homes. We had a birthday party and asked all of our guests to bring a bag of dog or cat food, treats, etc. to donate. We filled up our van. We just got through dropping it all off, and they were excited to get it. Every little bit helps! They also need volunteers to help walk dogs, feed and water, bath, clean litterboxes, etc.

I am beyond happy with my animals from APS Durham!! The staff was super nice and you can tell how much they care about the furry friends there! Durkio and Pizza (now named ash) are very well socialized and some really cool dudes!

Friendly & helpful staff helped us pick up some kittens to foster. They made it super easy, made sure we had everything we needed, and helped us quickly get started home with these cute kittens.

Great animal shelter—staff are friendly, caring and patient. I found my two lovely pups at Durham APS. They were already fixed, partially vaccinated, and the price was still unbelievably low for adoption (around $75 each, I believe). They even gave me a metal name tag engraved with name and phone number, a collar, leash, and, for the toy breed, a small kennel. Those Accessories alone approached or exceeded the adoption cost!

I also appreciated the background check they performed before authorizing adoption. They required me to provide a landlord’s phone number, who they called to ask not just that housing a dog was permissible, but to ask about the space itself, and whether there was any indication that I had habits, work, or behavior that would interfere with proper care of a pup. Even given the mass excess of sheltered dogs, I valued APS’s thoughtful inquiry—it’s better to prevent an adoption that would be short-lived (or worse, unsuitable for the particular dog or breed).

Reflecting on how many Costs the shelter covered rather than shifting to me, I felt I had severely underpaid. I took 5 minutes to organize a Facebook Fundraiser, and the $540 goal was met within a week. I respect APS’s decision to keep the price low—is great to promote adoptions (granted that the adopter is thoughtful and prepared to keep the pet). Also, volunteer labor sustains a good portion of their work. So, donations allow APS to keep housing strays, fixing those strays to control overpopulation, completing early vaccinations, flea
Treatment, or other medical issues. Just by fixing the dogs that come in, APS is preventing more strays on the roads or shelters reaching capacity.

Don’t think for a second that the dogs at the shelter are second-class, exclusively older dogs, or only breeds that have “aggressive” instincts—in fact, the pups I adopted happened to be breeds far different than what I had guessed, both were puppies. One is a lab Dalmatian, who grew from 5 to a present 65 pounds. The other is a pomerian/papillon mix. I had guessed their breeds as cattle dog and lab, respectively (not that I cared), and I was way off point. It was, frankly, hard to choose among all the lovely dogs there—diverse breeds, many young dogs, many sweet adult dogs :/

As in many shelters, the pitbull breeds have tended to make up a sizable Proportion of dogs there—sadly, the harsh “no pitbull/pit Bull mix” policy in many apartments likely plays a role in sustaining an unfair stereotype about certain breeds’ proclivity for aggression.

So check it out for yourself! Or consider donating, volunteering, or recommending APS to your coworker, friend, or family member who is on the search for a furry friend :)

Got both our cats from here in 2019 and 2021. Some of the best things that have happened to us. Rescue foster adopt! This organization is wonderful!

My wife and I were really impressed with this shelter. They were extremely patient and helpful in helping us pick out our perfect dog. And all the animals at the shelter were so well taken care of. All 3 of the dogs we met were super sweet and affectionate. We have had our dog for 3 days now and we could not be happier with him!

They were awesome when we wanted to adopt a local stray who was technically owned by a neighbor. They waived the adoption fee since we had already provided vet care and had been caring for her for a bit. They made it easy to make it official and now we have our sweet girl!

We adopted a kitten two months ago and received great customer service and assistance throughout the entire process. There was a young lady who walked us through the shelter, answered questions, and helped us make the best choice. Our Petals is doing great!

I got a wonderful, cute dog named Jack from the shelter. I give it a five out of five stars rating. Everybody was super nice day and prices are pretty good.

me and my fiancé picked up a lovely cat, his name in the shelter was Jack. amazing process! but now we named him Nitro! 🤍🖤 i’d recommend getting a kitty from this shelter

I adopted my kitty during one of their adoption events at The Regulator and the staff was so kind and supportive while I was making the decision. They answered all of my many questions and provided me with useful resources to get started with my kitty. They also provided really comprehensive medical records, which impressed my vet. Really recommend adopting from here!

Our adoption process with APS was wonderful! The dog we were most interested in on the website was already spoken for when we arrived, so we took a look at the other available pups. APS color codes dogs based on personality type and posts a recommendation for the dog's ability to interact with children and other animals - these are all posted on the cage door so you learn a bit more about the animal before falling in love with their looks alone. We had two dogs we wanted to see, so the staff put us in a meeting room and let us take as much time as we needed with each animal. The staff and volunteers were very helpful and friendly.

It is clear APS cares about the animals in their care. Our little guy was neutered and given the heartworm medication he needed. We were given clear instructions on how to keep him safe and healthy while he recovers.

So far, our pooch is living up to the personality assessment provided by APS. He was "Blue" and has been very relaxed in each situation he's been in so far (he even liked the vet!).

Thanks, APS!!

I had a great experience with my child adopting a kitten from this shelter. The staff was friendly and helpful. The kitten room was clean and the animals were in great health. Our kitten was already spayed and had her first round of vaccines. Our vet gave her a perfect bill of health and opined that our kitten was confident and well socialized. I will adopt from this facility again in the future.

We adopted a cat, Greta, years ago. She has been a GREAT ADDITION to our family! Or we could say…..she adopted us!!

All the animals seem to be well taken care of friendly staff and genuinely concerned and helpful in trying to help us fine our lost dogs

We've adopted 2 dogs from here over the last 3 years. The staff and volunteers are very friendly and helpful. The visit to the shelter is comfortable and easy to meet the available dogs and cats. We moved out of Durham but returned to adopt from aps because they do a great job.

I was just reviewing the animals for adoption and I noticed some less than favorable reviews. I adopted my beloved Tilly from the shelter 12 years ago. We loved her then and we still love her. All of the staff from the front desk to the volunteers that devote their time in the back to care for these deserving animals treated us with kindness and the utmost respect. I know that every dog that goes into the shelter is assessed by a veterinarian. I have left two lost dogs at this shelter and they both were well taken care of an found new forever homes. If you are in the market for a new pet, this is the first place that you should check. I have been in the dog and cat enclosures and I have never been offended by any odors. The director loves her job and she does the best by these pets. Even the ones who have been euthanized are recognized in a post. Only someone who really cares would go that extra step!

Came to look and possibly arrange to meet a foster. Ended up coming home with the sweetest dog. The humans are so helpful. We were even allowed to see how our adoptee would do with a cat.

They are swimming in kittens as of July 2022. The kitty room was such a treat full of playful babies.

They can definitely use your support with donations and extra food and treats. Such a worthwhile place to help.

Have had a great experience with APS of Durham as a foster family and with adoption! When I adopted my cat, I found she had a dental issue at her first vet visit - I contacted APS right away and they arranged to take care of this themselves! My cat is so happy, healthy, and well settled into our home, and we are so grateful to APS of Durham for their effort and dedication to caring for her and all of their animals!