GAINESVILLE - The Executive Director of what is now the Humane Society of Northeast Georgia in Gainesville says he would support a law requiring cat and dog owners to spay and neuter their pets.
Rick Aiken says the Humane Society staff is now able to pursue their true mission, to keep animals as long as they are physically and mentally stable until they can find a home for them.
That was made possible a week ago when Hall County's animal shelter opened on Barber Road near the county jail and began taking in animals; Aiken says his facility is regional, not just for Hall County, but it is a selective admission shelter.
"We can't be everything, we can't do everything," Aiken said. "We have to stay within our resources and not all animals are adoptable." The Humane Society evaluates the animals when they come in for their age, temperament, health and their breed and if they pass they are put up for adoption.
"We are obligated to try and do whatever possible to make sure that animal will not be a danger to someone and that they get a healthy adoptable animal," Aiken said.
The Humane Society no longer takes strays; that ended when the facility's contract with the county ended and the county shelter opened.
"Most of the people understood that we no longer take in stray animals and they have been going to the county facility," Aiken said.
As for out of county animals, Aiken said his staff does not ask where they come from, but he will check into reports that people bringing them have been referred to the county animal control shelter, where the out of county take in fee is now $30. There is no charge to Hall County residents.
"Maybe there's some misconception that animals are being brought here and asked to go to animal control, we do not encourage out of county people to go to the Hall County Animal Shelter," Aiken said.
Hall County Commissioners raised the out of county intake fee last week on a recommendation from Director Mike Ledford, who told them the original $10 fee was not covering boarding and vaccination costs. Commissioners also expressed concern that out of county residents were being sent from the Humane Society to the animal shelter, where 201 animals arrived during the first week of operation.
Aiken said that number points to a tragic problem with the animal population.
"That is a reasonable amount for what's been going on but it's not reasonable from a county standpoint," Aiken said. "This county is spending an enormous amount of money on animals and there are ways to improve that."
Aiken said adoption and spay and neuter are the keys to controlling the animal population, but spay and neuter is the important key.
There is a third and very sad and undesirable alternative, euthanasia, and Aiken said it must continue as long as there is an overpopulation.
The Humane Society is performing spay and neuter on 30 animals a day, but Aiken hopes he can increase that to 60 a day within a year, but something is needed wake the public up.
"The public is bringing in all these animals and allowing them to be born and somebody is going to euthanize them," Aiken said. " Unfortunately that would be the Hall County Animal Shelter; I know the people over there and they do not want to do that."
Animal Control Director Mike Ledford recently told county commissioners he and his staff are committed to saving, not destroying animals, as much as possible and plans to perform 15 to 20 daily spay and neuter surgeries according to shelter veterinarian Dr. Meghan Seabolt.
Aiken said its time a law requiring spay and neuter.
"Until we wake up and pass ordinances and make people responsible for animals being allowed to breed, it will continue; I very much believe that if we're going to stop this problem, it is going to take require spaying and neutering or some type of licensing fee to get it spayed or neutered."
Aiken said Humane Society's spay and neuter fee is $50, five dollars cheaper for male cats.
The Humane Society's adoption fee is $100, that includes all basic services including initial vaccinations, rabies shots, spay and neuter and microchiping. Hall County's fee is $60.
Tuesday
July 1st, 2025
9:51PM
