DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — Animal advocates gathered Friday for the second annual State of DeKalb Animals address as the county works to relieve chronic overcrowding at its shelter.
DeKalb County Commissioner Michelle Long Spears organized the address at the Emory Conference Center Hotel. It’s an opportunity to bring local animal experts together to discuss challenges facing animal services and how to meet them.
“Our intake last year was the highest it’s been since 2005, and this year it’s trending higher,” said Rebecca Guinn, founder and CEO of the Lifeline Animal Project, which runs the county’s shelter.
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Channel 2’s Bryan Mims learned that in April, the DeKalb County Animal Shelter took in 757 animals, but its maximum capacity is 475.
Through April, 212 animals have been euthanized at the shelter.
“Animals come into our care because of some human struggle or some human failure,” Guinn said. “And I think people are struggling and there’s always a collateral effect on their animals.”
She says the state of the county’s animals remains challenging. But she points to a so-called pet neighborhood under construction next the shelter that will house 120 animals, helping to ease overcrowding. It will have ten buildings with heating and air.
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This week, the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners passed an ordinance that targets uncontrollable breeding. It will limit a breeder to one litter per year and all breeders need a permit from the county. Andrea Siedl, a shelter volunteer, advocated for the new rules.
“Many of these backyard breeders are not vetting their animals,” she said. “They’re selling puppies younger than should be sold. They don’t have vaccinations.”
Guinn said the mission is to slow the tide of animals coming to the shelter and to save more animals’ lives.
“Unfortunately, with these kinds of numbers we are looking at, because of the sheer lack of space, we have to make some tough decisions,” she said.
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