You too can save an Oconee County dog or cat from death row

The current Oconee County policy toward dogs returned to the Animal Shelter is one that can kill canines if no one adopts or fosters them soon enough. There was just such a case recently with a graduate student unable to travel with a 70 pound pit bull terrier to her new location, and she was forced to return the dog she was fostering at the time to the Oconee County Animal Shelter down in Bishop.

Lucky for this dog named Katrina, there are some amazing and dedicated volunteers who will walk and talk about these animals until someone can find the time and ability to invite them into their homes and hearts.

 I had an elderly dog named Josephine recently pass after 15 full years, and halfway through attempting to give away her food I thought about why get rid of all the considerable infrastructure of taking care of a pooch?

Then I saw a plea for saving a dog from death row at the Oconee County Animal Shelter.  I decided to initially foster then adopt a lovely young lady named Katrina. We have made each other happy again and I feel like I saved a life. She is one part "Mamaduke" and one part leaping gazelle.

The people who are most devoted to making sure the dogs don't die by the hand of the county are on the Friends of the Oconee County Animal Shelter. They come out to various events like the Watkinsville First Friday or Saturdays at the PetSmart at the Epps Bridge Parkway Mall or whatever the proper term is for that place, and set up the tents and cages and volunteer their time to take care of those animals who may not have the opportunity to take care of themselves.

I realize the option of our county shelter becoming a true "no-kill" shelter will not occur under the current composition of the Board of Commissioners anytime in the near future. However I would like to ask the Board of Commissioners to consider adding people to the advisory committee to the Animal Control who are not breeders.

There are plenty of considerate and conscientious candidates in the rescue community who deserve consideration and appointment to the citizen advisory committees in the future. I understand the last go-round for appointments had 11 candidates interviewed by the Board of Commissioners, and only three who were breeders were selected.

It is almost as if you are an animal advocate in any way shape or form it is held against you in this county.   It is OK to add people to these boards who have different opinions than those who breed dogs for a living. This dog was a breeder, and was supposedly tied up to a block and inseminated repeatedly in her young life. This has led to really poor socialization with other dogs, but we are working on that slowly but surely.

So if you have the ways and means to take care of it, go adopt or foster a dog from the Oconee County Animal Shelter. Let your Board of Commissioners know that you would like a more divergent group of opinions and not just those who are breeding on the animal advisory committee.