DeKalb, Fulton animal shelters need urgent homes for 300 dogs

ATLANTA - The organization that runs both the DeKalb and Fulton County animal shelters issued an urgent plea this week to find homes for hundreds of dogs as they deal with what they label a "troubling trifecta."

Both shelters are currently overcrowded, the DeKalb shelter took in 31 dogs earlier this week from an animal cruelty case, and the Fulton facility is dealing with an outbreak of canine flu.  

"Canine flu is a pretty extreme kennel cough.  It spreads really fast," explained Dr. Ian Flowers, who cares for animals at the Fulton shelter.

He said overcrowding not only makes it easy for canine flu to spread, but also stresses the dogs, which weakens their immune systems.

"So, we need to get as many dogs out as we can to decrease the stress levels and to create a space for quarantining," said Dr. Flowers.

Lifeline hopes to find foster or adoptive homes for 300 animals by next week.

"Unfortunately, if we don't next week, we'll have to make space with euthanasia," said Dr. Flowers.

To learn more about how to adopt or foster an animal, visit: https://lifelineanimal.org/.