HELP! I’ve LOST (or FOUND) a pet!
What to do …
Habersham Humane Society is a private, non-profit animal welfare agency and, as such, we are legally prohibited from taking strays/found animals into our care. We have NO facility for animals. Per Georgia state law, stray/found animals must be taken to the local shelter/animal control facility that provides for such service in the jurisdiction in which the animal was found.
Each local facility has varying stray/hold times. Habersham Animal Control may allow the finder to hold the animal for the mandated time, but the finder must file a found pet report and make a good faith effort to reunite the pet with its legal owner. Owners who have lost a pet need a central location to find them and the best location is their local municipal animal control facility.
Habersham County Animal Control and Care: (706)839-1096
Stephens County Animal Control: (706)282-3275
White County Animal Control: (706)219-2689
FIRST STEPS –
- Make sure your pet has an up-to-date ID tag!
- Have your pet chipped.
- Take photos of your pet to use in making flyers or posting online.
- Remain calm and search your house and property thoroughly.
MAKE THE IMPORTANT CONTACTS –
- CONTACT YOUR LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTER! It is important that they know about your lost or found animal when a stray is brought to them or a owner contacts them about their lost pet.
- POST YOUR ANIMAL ON SOCIAL MEDIA! Both Habersham Animal Control and Habersham Humane Society frequently re-post lost and found animals on their Facebook pages. The word will spread!
ADDITIONAL FACEBOOK PET BOARDS INCLUDE:
Lost & Found Pets of Northeast Georgia
Lost & Found – North Georgia Pets
- Distribute flyers in your neighborhood.
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WHY I FOSTER
by Gail Walker
People often ask me why I foster shelter dogs. They don’t understand how I could bear to give them up or why I’d bother putting the time and effort in with a dog I’m not going to keep.
One look at the face of a frightened, confused dog who suddenly finds himself in a loud, smelly, cold/hot, environment is enough for me to need to get them out of there. I’m instantly protective when I understand how they’re feeling. You can just see on their little face – wait, where am I? How did this happen? Where’s my human who I love? Where’s my comfortable bed and blanky? I didn’t do anything wrong, I’m a good girl, why is this happening to me? I’m scared!
Now that’s what really breaks my heart.
So, my first reason to foster is for them - if I can offer a safe, warm, loving place for this innocent animal to wait for their furever home, I’m doing it even when I know I’ll cry to give them up.
Here’s another, maybe selfish, reason – it’s easier than committing to a lifetime with an animal you don’t really know. While all fosters come with some baggage that takes time to adjust/correct, I’ve fostered dogs that I was very happy to help for a short time but would not have adopted. My first fosters were month old puppies. It reminded me I don’t have the time, patience, energy to adopt a young puppy. My second foster was of unknow age but an adult. He was a well behaved, housebroken, crate trained sweetheart. However, he was a breed that required more attention than I had to give long term and he drove my senior dog crazy! When I put him on the transport van, yes, I cried. But a week later I saw an announcement he had been adopted by a young family with children for him to play with. That made me cry again – happy tears!
Another reason fostering can be perfect for dog lovers is the flexibility it provides. I love having a dog’s companionship around the house but also like to travel. Fostering is the perfect situation to have the company while I’m home while having the flexibility to travel without worrying about where to leave a pet.
So, whatever your reason – empathy or convenience – fostering saves lives: the current foster AND the stray who the shelter now has space for. Please consider providing this vital opportunity for some sweet, innocent pets in desperate need!
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WE VALUE YOUR SUPPORT! PLEASE SEND YOUR DONATION TO:
HABERSHAM HUMANE SOCIETY
PO BOX 1442
CLARKESVILLE, GA 30523
info@habershamhumane.org
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