Mass euthanasia rumors prompt adoptions en masse at animal control shelter in Georgia



ATLANTA, Georgia -- An animal control captain in Georgia is setting the record straight after rumors circulated on social media suggesting workers at a shelter were planning to kill any dogs that had not been adopted when the shelter temporarily closes for repairs.

Clayton County Animal Control Captain Anthony Thuman said online talk of mass euthanasia is absolutely not true.

"The department as a whole is very committed to these animals," Thuman said.

WGCL received emails from concerned dog lovers across the nation -- worried that more than 50 dogs would be put down. The controversy was sparked shortly after animal control officials put an alert on Facebook, warning that one of their shelters would be temporarily closing for renovations, which meant they needed to find new homes for more than 130 dogs.

"We have been very fortunate received a great response from folks to find adopters," Thuman said.

A volunteer with the Ginny Milner Rescue said workers within animal control stressed to them that any dogs left behind would be killed.

Not true, said Thuman.

"We will find alternate placement for the dogs, whether they be at a secondary facility, or reaching out again to some of the rescue groups," Thuman said.

As of Friday afternoon, February 3rd, officials posted on Facebook that the shelter had been emptied.





The renovation is expected to shut the shelter down for at least two weeks.