CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — At least a dozen dogs are in desperate need of new homes as a metro animal shelter deals with overcrowding issues.

The Clayton County Animal Control posted photos and names of the dogs that need new homes. The shelter placed a deadline for Thursday or officials say they will have to begin to euthanize them for space.

The original 1 p.m. deadline has been moved to 6 p.m. Thursday.

“Our facilities are overcrowded and we are in desperate need of rescue organizations or adopters to come forward to assist in giving all of these animals a better quality of life and a forever home,” Capt. Jodi Turnipseed said.

Clayton County Animal Control put out an urgent list of dogs that need homes. The animal control gets some support from rescue groups, but Turnipseed says without assistance, the shelter would have to euthanize more dogs.

The current euthanasia rate for the shelter is 3%.

“This number is going to increase without the help from citizens and rescue groups,” she said. “This is not an action that any of us take lightly or want to do. We wish that all of our animals would make it into loving forever homes where they are pampered for the remainder of their lives. Any assistance from the community and rescue groups would be greatly appreciated.”

Animal control said there are several steps that people interested in adopting or rescuing the dogs need to follow.

The first is to email the staff members about which dog they are interested in. Because animal control is still practicing social distancing, only one visitor will be allowed at a time to meet the dogs. The shelter will complete a background check for someone to adopt a pit bull or pit bull mix.

The final adoption fee is $95 and the dogs will be rabies vaccinated, dewormed, microchipped, and spayed or neutered.

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