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Shelter's Plea as 250 Dogs Face Euthanasia Due to 'Severe Lack of Space'
12Sep’23
Newsweek
By: Published: Sept 12, 2023
ore than 250 dogs are facing euthanasia due to severe overcrowding at a Georgia animal shelter.
DeKalb County Animal Services must find homes for the animals before Thursday, September 14, due to what it describes as a severe lack of space and astronomical intake.
“Over 650 dogs are in the shelter today and an average of 135 dogs arrive each week,” the shelter wrote in a statement posted to Facebook. “This is the highest number of animals we’ve ever had in our shelter and we are in desperate need of help.”
There has been a significant increase in the number of dogs arriving in animal shelters in the United States. A report from the Shelter Animals Count (SAC), a database tracking pet outcomes at American shelters, says 7 percent more canines arrived in such places across the U.S. over the first three months of 2023 than during the same period in 2022. It is estimated that 3.3 percent more dogs have entered than left shelters this year, worsening the over-capacity crisis.
Each year, 6.3 million pets are surrendered to U.S. shelters, which is an average of 17,260 a day, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
The number of dogs and cats taken in by pet shelters hit 46,807 during January 2023, an increase of 1,744 compared with January 2022, the 24Pet ‘Shelter Watch Report’ found. Around 920,000 surrendered animals are euthanized every year. Shelters are striving to minimize euthanasia rates by promoting adoption campaigns, spaying and neutering programs, and behavior rehabilitation.
DeKalb County Animal Services says there is no place in the shelter to house incoming animals, unless another dog leaves. This can be by means of adoption, fostering, reclaiming or rescue transfer. However, if these options are exhausted, then the shelter staff will look to euthanasia.
The shelter wrote: “30 dogs are at risk of euthanasia this week because there simply isn’t a space in the shelter to house them.
“Our teams are working full throttle to get as many animals into homes as possible, but we have reached well beyond the resources available and are putting this call out to urge you to please help us find these dogs homes.”
DeKalb County Animal Services was keen to stress that it had tried countless ways to give these animals a chance. Temporary crates were installed in offices and conference rooms to buy more time, but now that has run out.
“Euthanizing dogs for space is not a solution our organization believes in,” DeKalb County Animal Services said. “We’re heartsick over having to make these horrific decisions, and right now, we are pleading for the community’s support to help us save lives so animals don’t have to continue to die.”
Anyone wishing to help out can head down to DeKalb County Animal Services at 3280 Chamblee Dunwoody Road to adopt a dog and save a life. Even fostering a rescue canine for a couple of months could make the difference.