Best Friends Animal Society, a national animal welfare organization that focuses on reducing euthanasia in animal shelter across the U.S. has recognized the Hall County Animal Shelter with the Transformational Change Award.
The award was given to the shelter based on national shelter data and work from calendar year 2019, compared to the previous year.
"The staff and volunteers at the Hall County Animal Shelter fully embraced these and other positive changes in order to reach and maintain a 90-percent live outcome rate," Hall County Board of Commissioners Chairman Richard Higgins said. "I would like to personally congratulate them and this great community for their efforts in helping us achieve a transformation worthy of this distinct honor."
In February 2019, the county Board of Commissioner formally adopted several recommendations made by Best Friends following an independent audit of the shelter, including a resolution to achieve a 90% live outcome rate, which would allow it to designate itself as a "no-kill" shelter. They also established the feral cat spay and neuter catch-and-release program, the Community Cat Program.
"Hall County is a great example of how any county can achieve a high rate of live outcomes with dedicated leadership, community support and a shift in shelter policies," said Carrie Ducote, Senior Manager of Georgia for Best Friends Animal Society. "It's through partnerships like this that the lives of countless animals can be saved."
The full assessment and more details about the program changed over the past year can be found on the Hall County Animal Services website.
