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Writer's pictureClassic City News

Athens animal shelter in crisis: Save a dog from its death sentence

📣📣WE'RE AT A CRISIS POINT: We need 8 more dogs to leave today than come in to prevent euthanizing healthy, adoptable dogs 📣📣


We don't cry wolf--we put out the call when it's an emergency. And it's an emergency.


We currently have 3 more medium/large dogs than kennels, know we are getting at least 2 in today as owner surrenders, and have 6 more owner surrenders we already know about coming in over the next couple of days. Balanced against that are the 3 kennels we know are opening thanks to rescue pulls/an opening in Project Homebound - Athens, GA.


ANY MEDIUM/LARGE DOG LEAVING MAKES ROOM!! We don't have "urgent" lists--instead when the issue is space, we just need ANY dog to leave, whether puppy, purebred, new impound, or long-term. (Wondering why dogs are admitted when there's no space? See the end of this post.)


ALL OF THE PICTURED DOGS ARE READY TO LEAVE TODAY!! (Info about them them below.) They:


✅ are spayed/neutered, up-to-date on vaccinations, negative for heartworms (except Einstein)

✅ have not shown issues with dogs or people


In general, we do not have information about how the dogs are with cats, toddlers, or housetraining/cratetraining--they live in a shelter and many came in as strays.


For more information, go to https://www.accgov.com/9482/Dogs (scroll up or over if the page looks blank after clicking on a profile).


To foster for the shelter, go to https://www.accgov.com/9491/Foster-a-Pet : fosters are in short supply over the summer. We need folks who can hold onto dogs for at least a few weeks at this time of year (unless the dog is adopted sooner): right now, very short term fosters don't help space pressures.


To rescue a dog, send a copy of your GDA license to animalservices@accgov.com.


Athens-Clarke County Animal Services

125 Buddy Christian Way

Athens, GA

(706) 613-3540


Open for drop-ins 11-4 every day except Sundays (12-3) and holidays (closed). Extended hours by appointment.


Top row:

❤ Cliff: male, adolescent, can be shy with new people at first has done well in play groups

❤ Judge: male, young adult, has done well in play groups

❤ Omega: male, adult, currently shares kennel with a male that leaves for rescue today

❤ Bear: male, adult, low rider (smaller than his photos make him look), former owner says he's housetrained and good with dogs/kids


Second row:

❤ Daphne: female, adult, play group ROCKSTAR

❤ Lily: female, adult, smaller than her photos make her look (~30 lbs); shared a kennel with a female who got adopted, likes gentle dogs but wary of roughhousing

❤ Romeo: male, adult, shared a kennel with a female who got adopted, rambunctious in his kennel/offleash but does well on a leash away from the shelter

❤ Einstein: male, adult, positive for heartworms so only available for foster-to-adopt, foster, or rescue until treated; formerly shared a kennel with a male dog who got adopted


Third row:

❤ Diesel: male, adult, love this guy and he's one of my dog testing dogs; not fond of really pushy/rambunctious males

❤ Amelia: female, adult, a but in her kennel but has done well with dogs outside it but hasn't been offleash with them

❤ Midas: male, adult, just back from foster so he should be housetrained/cratetrained

❤ Boney: male, adult, just back from foster so he should be housetrained/cratetrained


Bottom row: the boys of Project Homebound - Athens, GA

These pups have been learning basic obedience for the last few months and are ready to move to a home!

❤ Cheese: adult, male, very good-natured

❤ Drive: adult, looks like a low-rider rotti, has some energy

❤ Malachai: adult, male, all around good guy

❤ Stickbug: adolescent, male, and very sweet!


* * * * *

Athens-Clarke County Animal Services is an open admission shelter, and we, the volunteers, support this approach. Open admission shelters give the neediest animals in a community a place to go when they're in crisis where they get fed, needed vet care, love, and a chance. And sometimes they are humanely euthanized for space.


We firmly believe it is better to bring homeless and needy animals in and give them this opportunity:


🎉 INSTEAD OF forcing people who are losing their housing to schedule surrenders weeks or months or years out (we do ask for time and if the person consents, great--we have a chance to plan but, if not, the animal comes in immediately)


🎉 INSTEAD OF telling finders to just turn animals loose to be hit by cars, poisoned, shot by people, and attacked by other animals


🎉 INSTEAD OF having homeless animals reproduce, adding greatly to the suffering in our community


We are happy to answer questions about this approach, but accusations of being murderers or commands to simply stop killing will be hidden or blocked. This is a private volunteer page and we, like staff, feel the deaths of these animals we know, love, and spend endless hours caring for and helping deeply.


Many thanks!

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