Jackson Animal Shelter swamped with stray dogs over weekend

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - The Jackson County Animal Shelter is asking for help after stray dogs flooded their kennels over the weekend of February.

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Eight stray dogs -- including puppies -- were brought in over the weekend. Each dog lacked a microchip, identification tag, or a sign that anybody is looking for them.

Lydia Sattler, director of the JCAS, said situations like this make her job extremely difficult. Not only are the dogs counting on the shelter for care but the shelter is overcrowded. There are spots for 13 strays in the shelter, but the shelter is now housing 15 strays.

For the strays, the situation is stressful and emotional. For the next few days or until claimed, their reality is cold cement floors, stressed neighbors, and constant wondering. Where are my people? Why am I here? What are all these strange smells?

“You know we see dogs that mourn for their people,” said Sattler. “They don’t want to be held in single kennels alone. It’s a difficult environment so we’d love to see them get out of here go back home.”

The shelter will hold the strays for four days before prepping them for adoption. The shelter wants this to be a lesson on the importance of chipping or tagging your dog.

“If you love your pet, or you have a pet. You have to take responsibility and make sure that you’re that dog is home safe, supervised and anything can escape, accidents happen but make sure it has an ID tag on or a microchip,” said Sattler.

The shelter also wants to remind people that you can get a ticket for letting your dog run astray. Repeat offenders can be charged with a misdemeanor.

If you know anything about how the dogs ended up as strays, please call the Jackson County Animal Shelter. Their contact information can be accessed on the official Jackson County Animal Shelter website here.

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