WAYCROSS, Ga. – Animal shelter workers in Waycross say extremely hot temperatures are to blame for the death of more than a dozen of the shelter's animals.
Fourteen dogs housed at the Okefenokee Humane Society have died in the past three months because of heat exhaustion and stress. The latest death came Wednesday.
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The heat can be very dangerous for the animals, as it was Thursday, when temperatures hovered around 100 degrees.
Workers at the shelter said there's not much more they can do because the Humane Society is underfunded, overcrowded and the kennels don't have electricity, so there aren't fans or air conditioners to cool the animals.
"It may get worse before it gets better," animal shelter manager Ben Hood said. "I can't guarantee that another animal will not die out here, but I will guarantee that myself and my staff makes sure that doesn't happen."
Ground temperatures near the shelter were measured at 138 degrees Thursday. Parts of the shelter, although shaded, reach temperatures in the mid-90s inside.
The main kennel area where most of the animals are housed is the coolest, but temperatures still registered between 80 and 90 degrees Thursday.
Workers said they have tried to put box fans in the cages, but the extension cords keep getting stolen, along with the shelter's roofing. They said they hose down the animals and give them frozen bottles of water to cool them down.
Although the Humane Society takes in all the animals for Ware County, workers said they're just not getting enough assistance. After crying out for help, the city of Waycross agreed to take over as the primary source of funding, but the change of power has taken months, with the animals still left in the heat.
But on Thursday, a happy ending appeared to be in sight.
"Before the sun goes down today, Ben, you will have electricity so you can take care of these animals," Waycross City Commissioner and Mayor Pro Tempore Diane Hopkins said.
City leaders in an emergency situation decided to run power to the kennels, so fans can be put near the animals, before taking over for the county. It's a move Hopkins hopes will mean no more animal deaths from the heat.
"They've been given instructions they will not go home until they're given electricity to take care of these animals, and I just apologize that it's had to come to this," Hopkins said.
Even though the city is helping out right now and is installing electricity, workers at the shelter said they still desperately need the community's help. Residents can do so by calling 912-283-4214 or going to OkefenokeeHumaneSociety.org.