About 1,005 animals came into the DeKalb County Animal services shelter in July, a new high for the facility since Lifeline Animal Project began managing the shelters in DeKalb and Fulton counties in 2013.
That exceeds the DeKalb shelter’s capacity by about 500 animals. Of note, 451 of the animals were lost dogs.
The Fulton County shelter took in 917 animals in July, the second-highest monthly intake in over 11 years. About 420 were lost dogs, according to a press release.
“Currently, Fulton County Animal Services has 469 dogs and 105 cats in the shelter. FCAS also has 328 dogs and 204 cats in foster homes. Optimum capacity for this shelter is 325 pets,” a spokesperson for Lifeline told Decaturish in an email. “DeKalb County Animal Services has 555 dogs and 125 cats in the shelter today. DCAS also has 702 dogs and 193 cats in foster homes. Optimum capacity for this shelter is 475 pets.”
The number of people who reclaim their lost pets is low, at 14% for lost dogs.
“When increasingly more animals are coming into the shelters than leaving, euthanasia becomes a real threat for animals who are struggling in the shelter environment,” the press release states.
According to the press release, no animal is turned away from the shelters regardless of health, condition, need, or behavior. Lifeline heavily relies on community support to ensure that every animal can find a home or a new one.
“Sometimes when pets are missing, owners may not know where to turn to find their pets, or they may be worried about fines or fees if they think their pet may be in one of our shelters,” said LifeLine Animal Project CEO and Founder Rebecca Guinn. “We are waiving all reclaim fees for pets who end up in our shelters for the first time, and we’re also asking neighbors to help more lost pets get back home with a few simple steps.”
Here are a few ways LifeLine is working with the community to help more pets return home:
– Home Free Program: If your lost pet ends up at the DeKalb or Fulton County shelters, LifeLine, in partnership with two county governments, is now waiving all reclaim fees and fines for those who have lost their pet for the first time.
– Take 48: Given that 63% of lost dogs are found less than a mile away from their home, taking them to the shelter actually could impede their chances of ever finding their family again. LifeLine is encouraging anyone who finds a lost pet to take 48 hours, report the animal missing on Petco Love Lost and follow a few quick steps first to help that pet get home, before bringing them to the shelter.
– Become a Friendly Finder: If you haven’t found the pet’s family in a couple of days, consider keeping the pet for just three days during the “hold” period until that pet becomes available for adoption. After that, you can adopt or foster the pet. Pets not only have a better chance of returning home if they stay close to the area where they are found, they are also much happier in a home instead of a shelter. LifeLine will provide a microchip, all vaccines and supplies. Learn more at LifeLineAnimal.org/friendly-finders/
If you find a lost pet, check out these quick steps you can take to save a life and help that pet get back home where they belong. LifeLineAnimal.org/Found-pets/
This story was provided by WABE content partner Decaturish.
