The DeKalb and Fulton County animal shelters are facing a record number of unclaimed dogs this summer, with almost half of the animals they are taking in being lost pets that owners have failed to reclaim. LifeLine Animal Project, which operates both shelters, attributes the extreme overcrowding to this issue, putting a strain on resources and leading to difficult decisions about euthanizing adoptable animals.
In July alone, DeKalb County Animal Services took in 1,005 dogs, the highest single-month intake in the 11 years since Lifeline took over shelter operations. Of those, 451 were lost dogs. Similarly, Fulton County saw 917 dogs come through their doors in July, the second-highest single-month intake in 11 years, with 420 being lost dogs. This surge in lost pets has pushed both shelters to their breaking points.
Director of Operations at DeKalb County Animal Services, Auriana Brown, introduced Daytona, one of the hundreds of lost dogs at the shelter, who was unclaimed when she arrived. Brown emphasized the importance of finding forever homes for these animals and urged owners to come forward to reclaim their pets.
Despite efforts to reunite lost pets with their owners, only about 14% of these dogs are being claimed. To help alleviate the overcrowding and encourage owners to reclaim their pets, the shelters have waived the fee to reclaim a lost animal. Brown acknowledged that reclaim fees can be a barrier for some owners and emphasized the importance of getting these animals back to their loving homes.
In addition to waiving fees, LifeLine is promoting programs to reduce the number of lost pets ending up in shelters. The Take 48 program encourages individuals who find lost pets to wait 48 hours before bringing them to the shelter, as many lost dogs are found close to home. They are also seeking volunteers to become Friendly Finders, who can temporarily care for lost pets until they are available for adoption.
To further encourage adoptions, LifeLine is waiving all adoption fees from August 10th to September 10th, allowing individuals to adopt a dog or cat for free at the DeKalb or Fulton County animal shelters. By raising awareness about the issue of unclaimed pets and providing resources and support for owners, shelters hope to reduce the number of animals in need of homes and ultimately find loving families for every lost pet.