Last week was the closest a dog had to be euthanized in the past six years.
HAWKINSVILLE, Ga. — Pulaski County animal control officers say they have never been more stressed out over the past six years due to a lack of adoptions. Last week, the problem got so bad that an adoptable dog almost had to be euthanized.
Chandra Toledo, manager of Hawkinsville-Pulaski Animal Control, said the pace of adoptions has started to slow since COVID-19, but the past few months have been especially tough. .
“Rescuers are having trouble finding adopters, so we can't take them out of the shelter, so we're not doing anything,” Toledo said.
Toledo said animal rescues typically come from as far away as Dublin, Perry and Cochrane to help find homes for the animals.
“Everyone is struggling. Rescues, shelters, things aren't working the way they used to. Rescue operations are collapsing, but donations aren't coming in. Foster parents aren't participating in rescue operations. , which directly impacts the shelter,” Toledo said. He said.
Last week, they housed 17 animals in a facility with only 11 cages. Besides, they were trying to trap a semi-aggressive dog in the county and there was no room for more.
Because the dog was a safety threat, we had to consider euthanizing the adoptable dog to create more space.
“We're still full and don't have any dogs. That means moving one dog and putting two more in the same kennel. There's no pressure relief at all.” Toledo said.
That's why she posted on Facebook last week, urging people to adopt animals so they don't have to be euthanized. Thankfully, it worked and she didn't kill any of the dogs.
Volunteer Melissa Hall said the last thing they want to do is kill a dog.
“There's no need to euthanize these animals because they're healthy, wonderful animals. They need families, they deserve families, and they deserve to live happy lives,” Hall said.
She said she had to attend to a dog's euthanasia in the past and it was heartbreaking. That's why she encourages people to spay or neuter their pets to avoid overcrowding shelters.
“And spaying or neutering prevents these problems and there are a lot of very easy and low-cost options,” Hall said.
We reached out to the City of Hawkinsville to see if they're doing anything new to help solve the animal overpopulation problem.
City Manager Sarah Myers said they are currently considering opening a larger shelter next year. She said there would be twice as many cages as there are now. Myers said she said the county would pay half and the city would use SPLOST funds to pay the rest.
Hawkinsville-Pulaski Animal Control is holding a fundraiser to support their efforts. They teamed up with Warner Robins Tap and Pour to host a dog show on Saturday, April 13th from 1:00 p.m.
Activities include:
– Dog show contests (categories: best dressed, most talented dog, cutest puppy, etc.)
– Pet-friendly games and prizes
– Delicious food and refreshing drinks for humans
For more information, call 478-225-2220.
