Fayette County's newly opened animal shelter faces immediate criticism over kennel sizes

FAYETTE COUNTY, Ga. - The new multi-million-dollar Fayette County animal shelter has already come under fire from critics almost immediately after opening its doors last week.   

Fayette County officials hope they have answered complaints about the size of the dog kennels at their new animal shelter that just opened last week. They immediately widened the kennels for large dogs to provide more freedom to move about, as well as space for a bed.  

FOX 5 reported on the ribbon cutting at the new shelter last week. Officials had praised the new facility as the answer to community concerns over the county’s older, smaller building.  

Immediately, critics charged that the dog kennels were too small to accommodate medium and large-sized dogs. The one-size fits all approach was deemed a failure and there were demands for an immediate fix.  

Not only has Fayette County improved the space for larger dogs, but it has also lengthened the space for smaller ones. There are consequences. The number of dog kennels decreased from 32 to 24. But the county says even at 24, the shelter for dogs is still 50% bigger than the old one, meaning they can house more dogs for adoptions without having to euthanize animals for space.  

The county manager says phase 2 will see this vacant field turned into walking trails, large outdoor enclosures like dog parks, and shade pavilions, for volunteers who help care for the animals.