Animal Advocates Want New DeKalb Shelter Located Near PDK

There are 11 sites under consideration, but the group Advocates for DeKalb Animals says there is only one logical choice.

The organization was established to pressure the county to build a new shelter. Its vice president, Wardell Castles, says a site on Reeves Street is in an area where research shows there is strong interest in animals, and that site is eligible for more than $2 million in federal recovery money.

According to Castles, “The advocates all agree, including the advisory board that Ellis and the commissioners set up, that the site north of PDK Airport is the best place not only for the taxpayers but also for success in things such as adoption and volunteerism.”

Ellis’s office says it is not sure whether that federal money can be used only at the Reeves Street site. Spokesperson Jill Strickland says that is one item that will be determined before Ellis makes his recommendation, adding “He knows the process has dragged on. He wants to make sure it moves. We’re so close that he wants to make sure that we get to the finish line very quickly.” 

The DeKalb County Commission is expected to vote on the recommendation June 11.

For photos of animals currently available for adoption through DeKalb Animal Services, click here.