The End of 2010

It's been a crazy year here for GHS. We've struggled with sad situations, but also been so thrilled to help so many homeless pets. We've seen our group change with many new faces coming on board and others going different routes. Change is inevitable in any situation. When I think about what has been accomplished, I am so happy that GHS saved over 1,200 of Georgia's animals this year. Most were from high-kill shelters, some were from owner surrenders, many from hoarding situations, and some just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

Personally, as the year ends I think back to all the adoptions I did and I find lots of comfort knowing the cats I cared for at the adoption center are happy, warm, and loved. I've got their pictures on my computer and every once in a while I will scroll through and it reminds me of the difference I have made. I also have memories that stick out, like poor old Jojo who was left to die at a local shelter. Or sweet Dante that was shot with buckshot and later passed to Parvo. I think of my fellow rescuers marching fearlessly into the homes of hoarders trying to save suffering pets, or our foster parents dealing with some shelters that just frankly would rather euthanize than save the animals.

I try not to dwell, because this past year I've seen so much good in the animal welfare community in Georgia. There are many people that are trying to change the situation by educating the public, enacting low-cost spay/neuter, rescuing, rehabilitating, rehoming, and standing up to those who would rather let our animals perish. I see the good will between fellow rescue groups who are always willing to share supplies, support, and ideas. I see the good will from many local animal controls who work tirelessly to save all the pets that come into their shelters. I see the good will from the public who have always responded when we have an especially dire case where we need funds or support. I look at the GHS facebook page and feel so comforted knowing we have 5,436 people standing with us for a better tomorrow.

This year I'm thankful for many things. I'm really thankful to all the people in Georgia from all different shelters and rescue groups that make it their life to save our pets. I'm so thankful for the lessons taught to me by my fellow rescuers all of whom have instilled in me wisdom that I did not have a year ago.

While there are still hundreds of thousands of Georgia's animals that aren't given a second chance, I know that one at a time we are working to change that. I like to think Georgia is slowly waking up to the reality that our animals depend on us, and that they deserve better.

I welcome 2011, because there are animals out there that need us all and we have the power to help!

GHS Love,
Mary

Our Three R's

The thing we do best at Georgia Humane is RESCUE, REHABILITATE, and REHOME. We rescue animals from all over Georgia and help them find their new forever homes. Most people don't know how much time/effort/money go into saving these precious lives! GHS is a 100% volunteer run organization!

We Rescue. Our pets either come from high-kill shelters or owner surrenders. We drive all over the state helping to pull animals out of shelters that normally wouldn't have a chance. Whether it's an SOS put out by the shelter or one of our volunteers keeping an eye on their county shelter, we are often working with animal control to rescue animals. We also receive numerous requests from people asking to surrender their pet. Sometimes it is for very good reasons (deployment, illness, etc.) and other times it is frustrating (having a baby, don't want the pet, etc.) We understand life situation's change, but we really believe that when you commit to a pet---you commit for it's entire life! Every once in a while, we just happen to be in the right place at the right time. Take the picture to left---that's Asher! One volunteer, Mary, just happened to be in a parking lot when she noticed tons of people gathered around a car. Asher was trapped in an engine, friendly as can be, but scared to death. Mary was able to rescue him and he has since found his happy ending.

We Rehabilitate. Once we have rescued a cat or dog, we then have to assess its medical and psychological needs. We use foster care homes for every pet that comes into our group. By placing a pet in someones home, they are constantly given love and attention while being observed by our volunteers to determine the best possible home for them. Our foster families can have their rescues anywhere from a day to months at a time! Some pets need more work than others, but the best case scenario is that they need just a few days of TLC before being put up for adoption. Usually, it is a lot more work than that! We often take in dogs that are Heartworm positive. It's extremely expensive to treat! As a no-kill organization, GHS will address any medical concerns. We often have to deal with ear mites, heartworms, flea/ticks, minor behavioral issues, house training, crate training, and basic obedience. In addition, we spay/neuter ALL pets, provide a microchip and flea/tick preventative, and make sure everyone has age-appropriate vaccinations. The vetting, while discounted to us, can still be very expensive. Still, we think most people would rather adopt a healthy and fully vetted pet then having to take an injured or unvaccinated pet and go through the medical steps themselves. Take Lacy for example (see picture to the left.) She had freed herself from what we think was a tether that was wrapped around her leg. It was so badly infected she had to have the leg amputated and was in for some serious surgery and rehabilitation. Even though she had some injuries, we didn't think that she should be given up on. So we were able to rehabilitate her, vaccinate/spay her, and put her up for adoption! Rehabilitation is a crucial step for us in helping our rescued friends.

We Rehome. This is where everything comes together for us! Once our pets are safe, happy, and healthy we place them up for adoption. We maintain an active Petfinder.com account as well as do weekend adoptions on Saturdays from 1-4pm at the Petsmart on Howell Mill Road in Atlanta. Potential adopters find our pets via Petfinder.com, by visiting our adoption center at Petsmart, or coming to our adoption events. We often have out of state adopters and have some rescued pets living as far away as Washington state! We also work with other rescue groups (especially in the Northeast) to do transport. Often times small breed dogs or puppies are in high demand up North where they don't have the issues that the South has. We work with these organizations to transport animals out of Georgia where they would surely be killed after their time was up in a high-kill shelter. All potential adopters fill out our adoption application so we can make sure the pet is a perfect match for the home. It's so rewarding to see our pets living in their new forever homes with families that love them. We often tell people that they are really saving two lives---the pet they adopt and the pet we are able to rescue because they adopt! The picture shows Bradley with his new mom and dad. They had been looking for the right puppy when they spotted him and it was a match made in heaven! Once they adopted a healthy, happy, and fully vetted Bradley, we were able to go out and rescue another little of puppies and start the process all over!

Taking our pets through Rescue, Rehabilitation, and Rehoming is such a great experience. It never gets old! Seeing the transformation of scared and sad to happy and confident is amazing! We are happy to be there to help make families complete and that's why we will continue to Rescue, Rehabilitate, and Rehome!

Another Preventable Tragedy....Dante!

I haven't blogged in a while but I thought today was a good day to write about this beautiful, loving dog that died because a human failed him.

Dante came to us on October 14, 2010 after arriving at animal control in DeKalb County, covered in buckshot. The rescue coordinator put out an urgent plea for someone to take him and one look at that face was all it took for me. I knew we didn't have a foster home for him so I started calling to find one. Within a few hours we had a plan and Dante would be rescued.

I arrived at the shelter to pick him up and he jumped right in the back seat. He was just happy, go lucky even though he was covered in wounds from the buckshot. We made the hour drive to the vet's office and everyone there fell in love with him. He was examined, vaccinated, heartworm tested and prescribed antibiotics to help clear up his wounds. We went home and got him settled for the night.

Saturday came and he went to his temporary foster home so we could get him ready for surgery to remove the buckshot. Beverly fell in love with him, too and said she would foster him permanently if we needed but we already had a foster home waiting for him. After five days of taking antibiotics he was ready for surgery and I picked him up for the trip to the vet. He had surgery the next morning and everything went much better than expected. There was no buckshot in him and he just needed to let the wounds heal. He was neutered so he would be ready for his new life once the wounds healed. I picked him up from the vet and he greeted me with his wagging tail and sloppy kisses. We went home.

Friday morning I noticed Dante was coughing which is not unusual after surgery and I knew he was taking antibiotics so there was not much worry. Sunday he went to his permanent foster home and he was still coughing so I sent additional antibiotics just in case he was getting kennel cough. He was still eating, drinking and being his happy self. By Wednesday night, Dante had stopped eating completely and was vomiting. Thursday he went to the vet where they diagnosed him with severe URI. Friday morning we picked him up from the foster and took him to our vet where he was diagnosed with Parvo. I was absolutely shocked and couldn't imagine that a dog his age had a puppy disease. Although, I should have realized that since his previous owner hadn't bothered to have him neutered, he probably didn't bother to vaccinate him as a puppy either. I was devastated to say the least but thought he could be treated and would be fine, after all he was an adult. I was wrong.

Since it was a Friday and no one would be at the clinic on the weekend, I chose to treat him at home where he would get 24 hour care and love. I had everything the clinic had to treat him so there was no reason to make he stay by himself.

We spent three days and nights constantly caring for him and giving him love and affection. In the end, he just couldn't fight off the disease so I made the heartbreaking decision to end his suffering on Monday morning.

Dante's life reminds us of the importance of vaccinating puppies so they have immunity to the numerous prevalent diseases in our environment. He also reminds us that neutering will keep a dog from escaping and ending up injured at an animal control shelter. Everything that happened to Dante was preventable but his human choose not to give him the care that he so deserved. As a rescuer, it's hard for me to understand the ignorance that still prevails even with all of the information at people's fingertips.

RIP Dante....I'll see you at the Bridge.

Michelle

Lacy- Our Poster Child for Anti-Tethering

Lacy has a great attitude now that she is free from her life at the end of a tether. It's hard to imagine what she must have been feeling and thinking with a tether wrapped around her leg and no one to help her. She had not been fed properly and you could see all of her ribs and backbone. When I was told about her by Heard County Animal Control, I asked them to send me a picture so I could see what we were dealing with. I was shocked to see how bad her leg was and knew it was critical that she get to a vet immediately before the infection killed her. I asked Mary (our wonderful volunteer) to set up a Chip In account so we could hopefully get enough donations to pay for the surgery. I immediately started calling local vets which I thought could help her but they all wanted over 1000 dollars to even consider it. I knew Commerce Animal Hospital would give us a better price so I called them next. Dr. Phillips called me back within an hour and said he would do it for half of his normal charge and to bring her the next day. Whew! That was a huge relief and the donations were pouring in for her. I could see that we were going to be able to help her if she could just hold on through the night.

I arrived at the shelter early the next morning so we could make the 2 1/2 hour drive to the hospital. When I met her I was even more shocked to see how bad her leg really was and there was no chance of saving it. She was covered in ticks and looked very frail but her tail was wagging non-stop. That was a good sign because as with people when facing major surgery, it is important to have a good attitude. When we arrived at the hospital they were ready and waiting for her. She didn't meet a stranger in the reception area and when they came to get her, I kissed her good-bye and told her I'd be back.

We had hoped the surgery would be done that day but Dr. Phillips had two emergencies that were more critical than Lacy so she had to wait another day. They felt she was stable enough and could make it until the next day. I received a call from the hospital after her surgery and they reported that Lacy was doing great but should stay in the hospital until Monday to make sure she was stable.
I could hardly wait until Monday so I could go get her and she could start her recovery in a loving foster home. I called the hospital first thing and they said she was ready to go. We were on the road within an hour and arrived to pick her up by noon. She came out with her tail wagging and she knew we had come to take her home. Dogs always know when they are being helped even if they go through a traumatic surgery like Lacy had. She was excited when she first got in the car but quickly laid down on the fluffy comforter we had put in the back for her. She slept for almost the entire trip and seemed content.

When she arrived at my house to pick up a few supplies before going to her foster home, she met my husband Buddy. You can see from the pictures they were instantly bonded!

We made the last 20 minute drive to her foster home and she got to meet all of her new four legged friends. She wasn't sure what to think at first but within an hour she was ready to play. Unfortunately, we can't let her do that right now but once her sutures are removed she will be able to play, play play!

Lacy is young and this will be an easier adjustment for her than it would be for an older dog. She already has the balance figured out and that's half the battle. She will go on to live a long happy life and will never be tied up again.

Lacy is just one example of what happens to dogs that are tied out and left on their own in the world. She was just a pup and was probably excited about something which caused her to get caught up in the tether. There are many dogs that never get the freedom that she has now although she lost her leg to gain her freedom. Dogs that are chained their whole lives, live a life of hell. You can see it on their faces, the defeat, the pain and the wanting for someone to love them enough to let them be free.

We are committed to our relationship with Coalition to Unchain Dogs so we can be a part of the solution for these helpless dogs. I encourage you to volunteer or donate to them. We must all work to stop this brutal practice.

http://www.unchaindogs.net/

Michelle

UPDATE: Lacy has been adopted by Coalition to Unchain Dogs volunteer, Ed! We are so happy! Lacy will have a foster brother and sister and all the toys and treats she could ever want. Such a happy ending!

A day in the life of Alpha!

Hi all, it's me, Alpha, the precious baby that you all chose to save in memory of Old Yeller/JoJo (my foster mom told me all about it, and how thankful she is for people like you). It is now time for the truth to come out.....I am a dog, I tried to hide it from my foster mom, so she would feel sorry for me and not squirt me when I lifted my leg in the house on her persian rugs and her old furniture, I mean what kind of foster parent wants to have something in the house I can't pee-pee on?? Oh, and my ear hurt so I could not hear, she really felt bad for me when she thought I might be deaf and I got lots of extra attention, but I feel soooo much better and turns out I can hear. I am now on her schedule and NOT my own now, which I have been told is the best thing for me. I must go to the bathroom outside and come when I am called....I love to go for walks with my foster daddy like a real doggie! I LOVE bones, cookies and hanging out in the kitchen when food is cooking. I try to help unload the dishwasher, but not allowed to lick the clean dishes, go figure!! My foster mom says I must get "fixed" SOON, not sure what that means but it does not sound good. I heard this while she was on the phone and one of the small, long things they call Doxies got mad at me and growled because I started doing something I should not, gee I thought I was playing?? Anyway, I am eating great and just loving life now. Oh, here comes my foster daddy, I think I am going for another walk...bye for now. BIG hugs and kisses from me!

Happy Update!

Liberty and Matilda were rescued from Butts County Animal Control when they were about 8 weeks old. They soon broke with Parvo virus which is extremely deadly when contracted by puppies. In fact, these two little girls had a third sister that didn't make it. Even with agressive treatment, there is about a 50/50 chance a puppy will survive. It's not uncommon to have parvo outbreaks in shelters where there are lots of dogs in a small space and lots of feces.

Michelle fought with them for a couple weeks trying to get them better. Their immune systems were so compromised they broke with ringworm too. They just couldn't catch a break!

Well, its been 8 weeks since we rescued them and we are excited to say that they are happy, healthy, and ready for adoption!!! Michelle fostered them and spent all her energy getting them better and then Donna took over to give her a break. Donna says they love to run around and play and are pretty much house broken!

Matilda and Liberty are 4 month old Lab mix puppies that are now fully vetted, healthy, happy and ready for their new forever homes. If you are interested in adopting them, please contact Michelle at 770-314-7302 or michelle@georgiahumane.org!

Lacy - Injured Puppy

***We have raised $110 dollars in 15 minutes for Lacy!!! THANK YOU!!!***

Lacy is a 6 month old American Bulldog puppy that came into Heard County Animal Control as a stray. She has a wounded back leg and from the looks of it she was caught/tied somewhere, it got embedded, and then she tried to chew herself free. It's awful!

We are going to pull Lacy ASAP, but are raising money for her funds. It's going to be $500 for surgery including pain medications/antibiotics! Every penny counts---please spread the word and help if you can!

"I hope to make people realize how totally helpless animals are, how dependent on us, trusting as a child must that we be kind and take care of their needs...[they] are an obligation put on us, a responsibility we have no right to negect, nor to violate by cruelty." -James Herriot