Bartow County has a proven track record in Apathy when it comes to the animals of their County.
What is Going On at Bartow County Animal Control?
A new policy that went into effect in August of 2016 at Bartow County Animal Control – in coordination with Etowah Valley Humane Society – is already taking A Toll on the cats in their custody.
We knew The Number of Deaths was expected to rise…rapidly…because 48 Hours is Simply Not Enough Time to organize a commitment from a rescue, pickup the animals within the hours allowed and arrange transportation to the Rescue Center for the cats in custody.
But…
We didn’t know that in the Haste to “Get Rid Of” these animals…
Animals that Rescues had Already Committed To…Cats that Could Have Lived…would be caught in the Apathetic Race to Rid Bartow County of It’s Unwanted Animals.
If these numbers are not disturbing enough…
The numbers are now expected to rapidly
rise with a new policy that went into effect
August 2016.
Owner surrendered cats to Bartow Animal Control are now given only 48 hours from the time of intake to be picked up by a local rescue.
No offer for adoption. No Public Notice.
Meet The Latest Causality –
Causalities as Bartow County’s A Roll Lately
Mom
Mom with 4 – four to five week old kittens.
Rescue able to commit, arrange transport and pickup.
While changing crates to transport Mom… She Escapes.
Transport error.
But, Mom is found!
She is returned to Bartow County Animal Control.
Etowah Valley Humane Society Notifies Bartow County Animal Control…
THIS IS THE MISSING CAT.
Intake cards at Bartow County Animal Control are changed…
BUT…Bartow County Animal Control
FORGETS
To Tag IT in The System.
It is common, especially the time of year this happened, for many rescues to be hand feeding numerous litters of kittens because Something Happened to the Mother Cat.
It is also common to place these orphaned kittens with other mothers who have milk.
If someone….any one…Cared…showed any sort of Compassion for the animals in this community…in the Bartow County Animal Control system or in any of the Rescues that support them…the community at large…
Someone…Any One…would have done a shout out that Bartow County Animal Control Had a Lactating Mother that Could Help Motherless Kittens.
But, No One Cared. Not One Single Person at Bartow County Animal Control Cared to be a Part of This Community.
NOT ONE WHO WAS CHARGED WITH THE RESPONSIBILITY OF CARING FOR THESE ANIMALS CARED ENOUGH TO DO A SIMPLE SHOUT OUT.
Instead, They Rushed Her to Her Death.
They Are Deeply Sorry for The Mishap
What Went Wrong?
APATHY LIVES IN BARTOW COUNTY ANIMAL CONTROL.
How did Bartow County find themselves in this position of Apathy toward the animals in their charge?
So many animals get euthanized Every Day.
It is a Way of Life There.
The Routine at Bartow County Animal Control is to Take An Animal In and Move It Out.
One Way or The Other.
And, at Bartow County Animal Control They Don’t Care Which Way.
Bartow County Animal Control Did Not Care Enough…To Remember To Tag This Cat…for Life.
Bartow County Animal Control Did Not Care Which Way It Left Their Facility…
As Long As IT Left.
So Many Deaths Already. So Many More To Come.
Why bother to Remember to Tag The Cat for Life.
Bartow County must take seriously…
The responsibility to manage and care for the animals in their charge appropriately – something they have not done in the past nor are doing in the present.
Bartow County is no longer a frontier land that does away with nuisance animals appearing on their landscape. According to their Chamber of Commerce they are a “vibrant community” with an “unmatched quality of life” – one that they advertise is “one of the most likeable places to live among the metro counties” according to a poll conducted by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
It’s time to bring that “country charm” and “international sophistication” to the animals of this county as well.
How can they bring that “country charm” and “international sophistication”?
There’s lots of ways to make this system better. But, it starts with losing that apathy that Bartow County has lived in for so many years. Once that’s done the rest is easy.
There’s a plethora of successful shelter management programs throughout the country. And, as the rescues have proved, there’s lots of help out there – lots of folks that want to aid the animals of this county.
Look at what DeKalb County did when it decided it was time to change.
Dekalb County had a similar problem to that Bartow County is now experiencing. High kill rates, low adoptions, record number animal surrenders…same issues.
What did DeKalb County do to solve this problem?
They brought in an organization that was capable of designing and implementing:
Effective programs aimed toward encouraging adoption and proper care of domestic animals.
Such programs and services…be expanded and improved to meet the growing demand for such services by the citizens of the county.
The Same Thing Etowah Valley Humane Society Has Been Contracted To Do BUT ISN’T.
This Organization: LifeLine Animal Project.
“The Animal Services Division of DeKalb County is managed by LifeLine Animal Project and encompasses all operations at DeKalb County’s animal shelter. LifeLine provides humane care for the animals at the DeKalb shelter, veterinary care including spay/neuters, pet adoptions, animal reclaims, volunteer opportunities, foster opportunities and rescue group coordination.
The DeKalb shelter is an open admission shelter with an average intake of 30 new animals each day. We welcome adopters and rescue groups to our facility to support our efforts.
LifeLine also offers resources and programs to keep pets in their owner’s care and reduce overpopulation. LifeLine has trained personnel at DeKalb to help struggling owners find alternatives to surrendering their pets. Programs like our Spay Neuter Impact Program (SNIP) DeKalb help prevent unwanted litters through free and reduced-cost spay/neuter services offered at the LifeLine Spay & Neuter Clinics. Much of this work is largely funded by donations from our generous supporters.”
LifeLine was founded with the single purpose…
To end the euthanasia of healthy and treatable dogs and cats in metro Atlanta shelters.
And, Lifeline has been wildly successful – saving nearly 40,000 animals in the last three years of managing DeKalb and Fulton County Animal Services.
Now, We’re not saying Bartow County needs…
To bring LifeLine to Bartow County. But, What we are saying is that The Animals of Bartow County Need a Life Line. They need a system in place that will responsibly manage animal welfare in Bartow County.
They need a system that will build:
Effective programs aimed toward encouraging adoption and proper care of domestic animals.
Such programs and services…be expanded and improved to meet the growing demand for such services by the citizens of the county.
Euthanizing is not the solution. Managing is.
Either make Etowah Valley Humane Society meet the demands of the contract or get an organization that will.
Bartow County, just so you know…