UPDATE: All the "code red" dogs at the Fayette Animal Shelter who were at risk of being euthanized after Christmas are safe, the shelter's director said on Facebook Tuesday morning.



The staff at the Fayette Animal Shelter said Monday that they will euthanize all the dogs in the facility who are not adopted before noon on Christmas Eve.

In a post to the shelter’s Facebook, director Misti Bellar said the shelter was filled to maximum capacity on dogs and puppies, and as a kill shelter, all the dogs who remain in the shelter must be euthanized after the Christmas holiday.

"We have a completely packed shelter and we're not adopting any out," Bellar said Monday, when there were 22 dogs being housed in the shelter.

Bellar posted a "Code Red" on the shelter's Facebook page Monday, meaning that the animals' time is limited. The county commission requires that shelter dogs be euthanized after 7 to 10 days, Bellar said.

Some dogs at the shelter now have been there between 10 and 14 days. Each one has a good personality and is adoptable, she said.

"The're all fantastic animals," she said. Some of the dogs have Christmas names like "Tinsel" and "Merry", and seem enthusiastic and playful when Bellar speaks to them on the Facebook video.

The animal shelter's Facebook page includes a live video of the animals with descriptions of each one. Bellar said that the shelter will open Saturday in case anyone wants to adopt, but the dogs that remain after noon will be euthanized after Christmas. She said she would be willing to meet any adopters that evening if they are unable to get to the shelter during the day.

"I'm more than willing to meet anyone if it will save a life," she said.

The seven cats at the shelter Monday are not in danger, she said, adding that they are more likely to be adopted.

The shelter can be reached at 205-932-7387 and is located at 635 McConnell Loop in Fayette.