Fulton and DeKalb animal shelters are over capacity and offering free pet adoptions for a second consecutive weekend.
Karen Hirsch, spokeswoman for Lifeline Animal Project, which manages the shelters, said a higher number of animals were brought into the shelters in November than the same month in previous years, adding to a “space crisis.”
“Usually in November intake slows down but instead its kept up to the pace of this summer which is one reason why we’re struggling,” she said.
Most of the animals are medium to large dogs.
An anonymous donor is covering the cost of adoptions Thursday through Sunday including vaccinations and microchips as well as spay and neutering of the dogs and cats, Hirsch said.
Credit: Adrianne Murchison
Credit: Adrianne Murchison
The Fulton County shelter was originally built in the late 1970s to house 80 dogs but can comfortably house 150, Hirsch said, adding that anything over that number is inhumane. Fulton County Animal Services currently has 250 dogs and 20 cats.
According to Lifeline, DeKalb County Animal Services is housing 429 Dogs and 100 Cats.
A Black Friday adoption event that ended Monday resulted in 292 of more than 900 pets leaving the shelters for new homes, Hirsch added.
The number of adoptions for the Black Friday event was down from 472 last year, according to Lifeline.
“We hope that (the) committed donor’s generous gift will incentivize those interested in adopting to do so this weekend to help alleviate the space crisis at our shelters,” Jennifer Eddy, the chief development officer at Lifeline, said in a statement.
Visit LifeLineAnimal.org/adopt for more information and to view the animals.
Lifeline also allows shelter visitors to foster a dog or cat for any amount of time. More information is available at LifeLineAnimal.org/foster.
Credit: Adrianne Murchison
Credit: Adrianne Murchison
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