DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — An overcrowding crisis at the DeKalb County Animal Shelter has gotten so bad that officials say hundreds of dogs may die.
Officials say the once no-kill animal shelter may have to start putting down 10 dogs per day. At one point, there were about 700 dogs in a space that is supposed to hold 250.
They tell Channel 2′s Tyisha Fernandes that conditions at the shelter have gotten so bad, it is no longer suitable for the animals.
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The nonprofit that runs the shelter, Lifeline, decided Thursday night to start euthanizing cats and dogs.
They said in a statement that they are heartbroken over the decision.
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Fernandes was at the shelter when Peter Kernan came to officially adopt his new dog, Leo, and he’s urging anyone who can to adopt.
“These dogs are great companions. They just need a little chance and love,” Kernan said.
DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond says during the height of the pandemic, the shelter was empty.
“Now that the economy is reopened, some of those same individuals are returning those pets into our custody,” Thurmond said.
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