COBB COUNTY, Ga. — Cobb County Animal Services is facing severe overcrowding as many pet owners are surrendering their animals due to financial constraints.
The shelter has taken in over 2,800 cats and kittens this year, leading to cramped conditions where multiple animals are often housed in a single cage.
“If they came in together and they seem to get along then we put them in the same cage,” Steve Hammond, Director of Cobb County Animal Services, told Channel 2 Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell.
Higher rent and increased pet care costs have forced many pet owners to make the difficult decision to give up their pets.
“This was one of the cases where, the owner just couldn’t care for them anymore because of the cost,” Hammond noted.
To alleviate the overcrowding, a cat rescue in the Northeast has agreed to take in 43 cats and kittens from the shelter.
“We have to complete health certificates for them because they are going out of state,” Hammond said.
He said they are working with a group of advocates, and Hookline Seafood in Cobb County put together the funding and transportation.
Southern Journey Animal Rescue and Transport will hit the road Friday.
This effort is expected to reduce the shelter’s capacity by 20 percent.
Hammond mentioned that if funding is secured, there is a possibility of additional transports in the future to further reduce overcrowding.
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