Lockhart Animal Shelter issues 'Code Red'

LOCKHART, Texas - The City of Lockhart Animal Shelter has 39 adoption kennels and 13 holding kennels.

Shelter supervisor Jeanne Pendergrass says when she put out a "Code Red" on their Facebook page Thursday pleading for help, the place was at capacity.

"Every kennel we have is packed full. A couple of them have more than one dog," she said.

Dogs that have been at the shelter for longer than 45 days have no adoption fees. Those that have been there for 30 days or longer...half the usual fee which is $55.

Pendergrass says they're looking for all the help they can get so dogs won't have to be euthanized.

"We try very hard to not have to do that. So we're pleading for all kinds of help today trying to get our animals out of here alive," Pendergrass says.

Certain dogs with behavior issues are on a list to potentially be euthanized according to Pendergrass. But she says euthanization is very much the last resort.

"That means we'll fill up our office, we put dogs in our office. We do everything that we can to try to not have to euthanize. Inevitably sometimes that does happen but we try everything, exhaust all avenues before we have to take that step," she said.

The shelter was pretty busy while we were there.

During that busy spell, the shelter actually freed up some kennel space.

Pendergrass says the Code Red is still in place because those kennels could be filled up with strays once again as early as tomorrow morning.