ATLANTA — Best Friends Animal Shelter is one of many rescues swamped with dogs heavier than 40 pounds.
Huskies, shepherds, terriers and mutts are just some oversized dogs posing a risk to overcrowded shelters all over the country. Best Friends is working to at least give the big dogs in metro Atlanta another chance.
“Our goal is to get as many big dogs as possible out of shelters and into homes this October,” said Julie Castle, chief executive officer of Best Friends Animal Society.
Shelters are running low on space to house these big dogs and need people's help in housing them.
In 2021, the number of dogs and cats killed in U.S. shelters increased from 347,000 to 355,000, according to the shelter. Those numbers were especially dismal for big dogs as dog intake increased by nearly three times the rate of dog adoptions, according to Best Friends Animal Society data.
“Right now, there is a shelter crisis going on across the country, with many shelters at, or beyond, full capacity. It’s no small thing to adopt a big dog. And by adopting one, you are playing an important role in helping Best Friends reach our goal of making the country no-kill by 2025,” Castle said in a news release.
Best Friends Animal Society is starting the Love Larg adoption campaign to help educate families on big dogs.
Even if you cannot adopt, shelters are asking that you temporarily open your homes to a foster dog.
“Whether it’s a foster or adoption, dogs thrive in a home environment,” Castle said.
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