a well-deserved award

“Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For, indeed, that’s all who ever have.” – Margaret Mead

The Barrow County Animal Shelter and the Barrow County Animal Control Shelter Volunteer Group were recently awarded the 2014 Community Service Award by the Barrow County Chamber of Commerce. And, what a well-deserved honor that is for the dedicated staff, leadership and volunteers who give of themselves so willingly and generously in an effort to help animals at the shelter live better lives while they are there and have a better chance at finding their second chance.  

It has not always been this way. Years ago (over 20, in fact) while I was reporting for a now-gone local newspaper, I had the distinct non-pleasure of writing a story about how the animal control director was allegedly shooting dogs rather than euthanizing them. Whether “for sport” or to “save the taxpayers money” – the alleged acts where heinous. There were also rumors of tortured cats. When the story broke, that director resigned and thankfully nothing nearly that terrible has happened since.  

I’ve worked for two other local papers and covered other animal control news – some good, some bad. I’ve also photographed “Pets of the Week” for those papers to publish and post online. This has meant so many shelter visits and so many, many hours spent staring into shelter animals’ poor sad eyes. Even when times were good at the shelter, the euthanasia rate was high and the adoption/rescue rates low. I ended most of my shelter visits in tears, overwhelmed by the scope of the hopelessness.

Then, in the spring of 2013 things began to change. The previous director, who wouldn’t allow volunteers in the shelter, resigned. Interim director Jimmy Terrell was hired and shortly thereafter a productive, enthusiastic core of knowledgeable volunteers asked to start a volunteer program at the shelter. Terrell agreed and the rest, as they say, is history.

Currently, there are over 40 volunteers who offer their services at the shelter in a variety of ways. Some have extensive rescue ties. They help place animals with rescues all over NE GA and indeed, the United States. A pregnant Pit Bull who delivered eight puppies the day she arrived is now living happily in Maine, all eight puppies placed and well cared for. Shelter dogs go to Florida, Tennessee, N. and S. Carolina - all over the place. An often miraculous web of transport arrangements is made and a few Barrow volunteers also specialize in providing “freedom rides.” Thanks to all of this, the local rescue rate has gone WAY up.

Other volunteers specialize in dog behavior; they work with adopters to be sure a good match is made or see that a problem in the new home is quickly corrected. Some volunteers walk the dogs and play with them. The more experienced volunteers do “temperament tests” to see what kind of personality the dogs have, if they are good with other dogs, how they react to kids, and glean other useful information like that to help adopters find just the right dog.   

A few volunteers specialize in kittens and cats. They play with them, socialize them, photograph them and in collaboration with Leftover Pets (the local low cost, non-profit spay neuter clinic) find amazing numbers of them rescues or homes. Volunteers clean kennels, offer dog beds and make sure the animals have plenty of fresh water. Many give treats and chew bones. Some give really dirty dogs baths or groom badly matted ones. A few spend hours sitting in the kennel with a particularly scared, old or fragile dog, simply offering comfort.

There are volunteers who solicit pledges for foster care and treatment of sick animals, and volunteers who vaccinate puppies and kittens so they don’t get sick. Some volunteers want to help, but get too sad seeing the animals, so they wash food bowls, do laundry and help maintain the shelter landscape.

Basically, the volunteers do things the staff doesn’t and never has had time to do. Cooperation and appreciation is mutual between the staff, leadership and volunteers. The whole thing works really well. As a result, adoption rates are WAY up and the number of animals euthanized is WAY down.

I used to dread going to shelter, knowing I would leave heartsick and in tears. These days I mostly leave with happy tears because on most days, the shelter is a pleasant place teeming with hope and happy endings. Frankly, I never thought I’d be able to type words like this about the shelter for any local newspaper.  

So thank you, volunteers. Thank you, staff. Thank you, leadership. The animals can’t thank you, but if they could, you know you’d get a big old furry hug, some tail wagging, an enthusiastic purr and maybe a sloppy wet kiss on the cheek. Oh, wait a minute! The animals already do thank you all, each and every day in these very ways. Good work!

For information and updates, go to Saving Barrow County Animal Control Pets on Facebook and to the volunteer website at www.barrowpets.org. Information on Leftover Pets and their services is at www.leftoverpets.org The shelter can always use more volunteers – trainings are offered regularly. And donations of bleach, paper towels and laundry soap are always welcome. The shelter is located at 616 Barrow Park Drive, Winder.