Shelter:

Continued from Page 1

LifeLine tried other solutions to help with overcrowding, like opening a pop-up dog adoption center on Howell Mill Road in Atlanta to relocate some of the Fulton County dogs. It also cut adoption costs to $23 for all of January, which covered vaccination, spay/neuter and microchip fees valued at $250.

The measures helped, but not enough to offset low adoption numbers and an overwhelmed staff. DeKalb County Animal Shelter Director Kerry Moyers-Horton said the facility typically has one staff member doing animal care and feeding for 75 dogs, and that still leaves many animals without adequate care.

“It’s not good for the dogs, they’re not benefitting from it,” Moyers-Horton said.

Public relations manager Artist said adoptions are down 31 percent from last year.

“We’re not taking in any more, but people aren’t adopting,” Artist said.

The organization said the reason for the dropoff could be economic hardship, with people’s budgets tightening and little extra cash left for high pet care costs. LifeLine officials also point to housing as a limitation because many apartment complexes have strict restrictions on pets and breed types. The shelters are left with primarily large dogs, unable to be adopted or fostered by people living under strict housing regulations.

Earlier this year, a strain of canine flu ripped through the shelters, further complicating the situation. There was no space to properly quarantine the infected dogs, and they could not be sent out to foster homes with existing pets for fear of spreading the illness.

DeKalb resident Melissa Laboy said she tried to foster from the shelter months ago, but she was turned away because of the risk of canine flu to her dog at home.

When she saw the shelter’s call for fosters before the Jan. 31 deadline, she decided to remind the shelter she was available.

“I was like, ‘Hey, I still want to do this!’” Laboy said.

The shelter let Laboy foster a dog, and she took home Gigi on Jan. 27.

Meanwhile, a pair of young boys peered through the glass to look at one dog, declaring they wanted a girl. They liked the one named Majorette, a large white and brown spotted dog the shelter described as athletic and affectionate.

Moyer-Horton said the community “really rallied around” the shelter once it announced the deadline. On Jan. 26, 300 people came in looking to foster or adopt. The next day, two hours before closing, 181 people dropped in.

In seven days, the DeKalb County shelter’s canine population dropped from 593 to 312. Support for the shelter expanded beyond its doors and into the community, with other organizations signal-boosting the calls for adoption. Atlanta Lab Rescue, a nonprofit dedicated to finding homes for large breed Labrador Retrievers offered to pay for a group training class for dogs adopted from the shelter before the deadline.

Cortland, a company that manages apartment complexes in Sandy Springs, Dunwoody, Johns Creek, Alpharetta and Roswell offered to waive pet fees for residents who adopt from LifeLine Animal Project.

The outpouring of support keeps Moyers-Horton positive, but she doesn’t want people to ease up.

“We are making progress, but we’ll fill up again in weeks if we don’t keep these numbers going,” Moyers-Horton said.

DeKalb County Animal Services can be contacted at 404-294-2996 or at 3280 Chamblee Dunwoody Road in Chamblee. Fulton County Animal Services can be contacted at 404-613-0358 or at 860 Marietta Blvd NW in Atlanta.