Atlanta, GA — LifeLine Animal Project has opened a temporary facility in midtown to divert all emergency dog intake from DeKalb and Fulton counties to help manage the current outbreak of the canine flu at its three shelters.

The temporary shelter is located at 981 Howell Mill Road in Atlanta and is known as LifeLine Midtown, according to a press release. LifeLine Midtown will be open Sundays and Saturdays from 1-6 p.m., Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 1-7 p.m., and Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

LifeLine previously said that 300 of about 500 dogs at the DeKalb County animal shelter were receiving antibiotics after a dog tested positive for canine influenza, also known as dog flu.

According to the CDC, dog flu is a contagious respiratory disease.

“To date, there is no evidence of spread of canine influenza viruses from dogs to people and there has not been a single reported case of human infection with a canine influenza virus in the U.S. or worldwide,” the CDC says.

The dog flu is rarely fatal, but some dogs can catch pneumonia. Tiki Artist, a spokesperson for LifeLine, said the antibiotics are “primarily to keep it from spreading or turning into pneumonia.”

On Friday evening, Dec. 30, 2022, DeKalb County published a press release about a “highly contagious strain of dog flu” that has “been spreading in several U.S. cities and is circulating in the Atlanta area.”

The temporary shelter is open for adoptions and fostering. It has the capacity to house about 150 animals on an emergency basis.

LifeLine is also seeking volunteers and donations to operate the new facility. Donations will be matched up to $40,000 due to a grant from Best Friends Animal Society.

Throughout this month, all LifeLine shelters are offering $23 adoptions in celebration of the new year. The adoption fee includes all vaccinations, spay/neuter and microchip fees.

For more information on animals up for adoption, volunteer opportunities or to make a donation, visit LifeLineAnimal.org.

Editor and Publisher Dan Whisenhunt contributed to this article. 

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