By Louise Stewart
NORCROSS, Ga. | An estimated 6.5 million dogs and cats enter shelters each year — and Gwinnett has its share. An open-admissions shelter, our Bill Atkinson Animal Welfare Center accepts lost, stray, and owner-surrendered animals. But like most shelters today, overpopulation is a big issue.
Stewart
What causes overcrowding? Ninety-five percent is due to owner surrenders — people who can’t keep their pets for various reasons (i.e., We don’t have time for him, allergies, dog got too big, it’s aggressive, we’re moving, he’s too old.) Then there are backyard breeders wanting to make a buck, and accidental litters from well-intentioned people. Then there are strays that are brought to the shelter daily. Sadly, many pets adopted during Covid have been returned lately.
How can the overall community help? Short answer — be a responsible pet owner. Get your pets spayed or neutered, get their required vaccines and tests. Make sure puppies get Parvo shots. Keep your pets healthy. Don’t let them roam.
Then, before you adopt, learn about the needs of the breed or its mix and make sure that fits your family. If you’re moving and for some reason can’t take along your pet, plan ahead. Include Max and Missy in those plans. Check with everyone you know. Taking it to the shelter should be your last choice.
There’s another way you can help the shelter. Volunteer to be a foster home for the shelter. All it costs is your love until the animal finds its forever home. And you can donate money for food. Be a shelter volunteer. Your time will help animals awaiting their new homes. Contact 770-339-3200 or AWEVolunteers@GwinnettCounty.com.
Besides housing, the shelter has other jobs. There’s a full-time veterinarian in the building six days a week and a vet tech seven days. The staff triages every animal entering the facility and the vet treats the sick or injured. On weekends, animals who need treatment see an off-site emergency vet.
Before going to a new home, every animal is spayed or neutered, given appropriate vaccines and microchipped. Adoption fees are minimal and sometimes during very high occupancy, they’re free.
Most of the residents are dogs and cats but sometimes you’ll see other domesticated animals — a potbellied pig, bird, rabbit, ferret, and even a horse.
Field officers are dispatched to enforce Gwinnett’s excellent animal laws and to pick up stray dogs. Each Animal Control vehicle has a chip scanner and computer. Those can enable a lost dog to be returned home without entering the shelter.
Community cats (free-roaming cats who lack human interaction) get help, too. The shelter spays/neuters them for free, gives rabies shots and inserts a chip. Residents can trap cats, take them to the shelter Monday-Friday for this service and release them back to their communities. The limit per person is two cats a day. For details contact RTCCP@GwinnettCounty.com or 678-226-7730.
Today low-cost spay/neuter is easy to find but it’s often hard to convince people of the need. Sometimes it’s a cultural issue. Others think their pet’s personality will change. The positive side includes decreasing free-roaming pets, protecting pets from health problems, reducing undesirable behaviors and lowering the burden on shelters.
If you’re interested in adopting or fostering a pet, start at the shelter. You can find nearly any breed or breed mix that you want. Not only will you be giving an animal a good life. It will improve your life, too.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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