GAAA Calls for Continued Action as Gwinnett Animal Shelter Faces Critical Capacity

Gwinnett Animal Advocacy Alliance contacted Gwinnett Animal Welfare leadership today, copying the County Administrator and Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners, regarding recent developments at the shelter and the continuing pet-overpopulation crisis in our county.

We believe accountability also means acknowledging progress when we see it.

In our communication, we thanked the County and Animal Welfare for several recent positive developments, including increased public outreach about the shelter's critical capacity, the new Steve and Julie Helman Pet Vaccine Clinics providing free vaccines and microchips to Gwinnett residents, and more transparent reporting surrounding shelter overcrowding.

At the same time, significant concerns remain.

13 Dogs Face a September 29 Deadline

There are currently 13 dogs with a euthanasia deadline of September 29.

Volunteers, rescues, and advocates have been doing much of the work to bring visibility to these animals, but Gwinnett County has a significantly larger platform and the ability to reach thousands of residents.

We asked Animal Welfare to make dedicated public posts when animals are placed on euthanasia deadlines and to provide ongoing updates identifying which animals remain at risk.

We provided DeKalb County Animal Services as an example. When multiple animals there face a euthanasia deadline, the agency makes a dedicated public post identifying the animals, the deadline, and ways the community can help. They also provide ongoing updates leading up to the deadline so residents know which animals remain at risk and where help is still needed.

Greater Transparency in Euthanasia Reporting

We also thanked Gwinnett Animal Welfare for accurately identifying “Shelter overcrowded” as the euthanasia reason for Xavier and Sawyer.

Accurate euthanasia reporting was one of the first issues GAAA raised when we began advocating in July 2024.

Based on our review of the County's published euthanasia reports, the last time “Shelter overcrowded” was listed as a euthanasia reason prior to Xavier and Sawyer was January 17, 2024—months before GAAA was even formed.

Transparency is critical. If dogs are being euthanized because the shelter does not have sufficient capacity, the public needs to know that.

If overcrowding deaths are recorded under other categories, we cannot accurately measure the scale of the capacity and pet-overpopulation crisis or determine whether the solutions being implemented are working.

Residents Still Being Told to Leave Animals Outside

We have recently observed what appears to be an increase in animals being picked up rather than residents being directed to leave stray animals where they were found. That is progress, and we want to acknowledge it.

Unfortunately, a resident publicly reported this week that she contacted Gwinnett Animal Welfare regarding a mother cat and kittens born outside her home and reported that she was told the shelter was at capacity and to “take them outside.”

We raised the resident's report directly with Animal Welfare leadership.

We understand that capacity creates extraordinarily difficult circumstances for shelter staff. However, telling residents to leave animals outside does not solve the underlying problem. It also leaves residents who are trying to do the responsible thing without a meaningful solution.

Panleukopenia Confirmed at the Shelter

In our September 25 email, GAAA asked Animal Welfare leadership to confirm reports we had received that panleukopenia may be present at the shelter and requested that the public be notified if those reports were accurate.

At the time our email was sent at 11:56 a.m., we had not independently verified those reports.

Later that day, at approximately 1:15 p.m., Gwinnett County posted a public notice confirming that the shelter is under quarantine due to a panleukopenia outbreak.

According to the County's notice, cat and kitten intakes have been paused, except for sick or injured cats and kittens requiring immediate care.

We appreciate that the County has now made this information public. Timely communication about infectious disease is important so fosters, adopters, rescues, volunteers, and residents with animals can make informed decisions and take appropriate precautions.

View Gwinnett County's Animal Welfare notice →

Prevention Must Be Part of the Solution

The County's recent vaccine and microchip clinics are a positive investment in community animal welfare. The substantial public response to the County's announcement also demonstrates that animal welfare is an issue Gwinnett residents care about and want their County government to address.

We are asking County leadership to build on that interest by investing in additional prevention initiatives—particularly accessible spay/neuter programs that address pet overpopulation before animals ever enter the shelter system.

We also continue to advocate for legislation addressing backyard breeding and have asked the Board of Commissioners to reconsider the ordinance requested last year to prohibit the retail sale of commercially bred dogs and cats in pet stores.

These are all issues that contribute to the crisis we are seeing, and meaningful prevention requires addressing the problem before animals become homeless and enter an already overburdened shelter system.

Read Our Full Email to County Leadership

Transparency should go both ways. We want Gwinnett residents to know what we are asking of County leadership, what concerns we are raising, and when we see progress.

For that reason, we are making our September 25, 2026 communication to Gwinnett Animal Welfare leadership, the County Administrator, and the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners available to the public.