County moves to limit unwanted pets

January 8th, 2008

There could be fewer alley cats and hound dogs roaming the streets — and rummaging the trash cans — of Whitfield County.

The Whitfield County Board of Commissioners voted 4-0 on Monday to lease the former Department of Driver Services (DDS) customer service center next to the Dalton post office to Braselton-based Leftover Pets. The nonprofit corporation provides “low cost” spaying and neutering of cats and dogs, said Sue Thompson, the group’s treasurer and veterinarian assistant.

Leftover Pets was founded in June 2005 and operates on fees from services and donations. The organization will pay $50 rent yearly, but either side can terminate the lease with 60 days advance notice.

Commission chairman Brian Anderson said the county hopes to reduce the number of “unwanted or unmanageable” animals. In 2006, Whitfield County Animal Control euthanized 3,572 animals.

“It’s a large problem,” Anderson said. “It’s one that communities in a lot of areas are dealing with. No community needs a number of animals that aren’t able to be cared for. It’s a way to prevent on the front end by not having as many puppies and kittens that are not wanted.”

Anderson said he didn’t know of any other potential uses for the facility, which has been vacant since the DDS center moved to Wagner Drive in November 2005. The county has not considered selling the property because of the slow real estate market, Anderson said.

Thompson said Leftover Pets has operated a mobile clinic in Dalton, Elberton and Toccoa but the group’s van has reached the point of breaking down. The organization has performed surgeries in the van at a parking lot of the Humane Society of Northwest Georgia’s Wade Adoption Center on Cleveland Highway at different times for almost two years.

“We advertised here once, I think, the very first time we came and we have not had to advertise since,” Thompson said. “It’s been through word of mouth.”

Thompson said the organization will hold clinics by appointment only on Mondays and Tuesdays every other week. The clinics are expected to begin later this month.

Debbie Daniels, president of the local Humane Society, said Leftover Pets has neutered and spayed approximately 550 animals during clinics here.

“We’re really glad to have them here,” Daniels said. “It’s a tremendous service and we would like to really stress that our vets in our area really do a good job and provide a wonderful service here. But this is a great opportunity for people with multiple animals or that have taken in strays because you reach a limit as to how much you can spend on spaying and neutering.”

One local veterinarian doesn’t believe Leftover Pets will be in competition with his business.

“I don’t feel that they are in competition with us at all,” said Danny Higdon of Higdon Animal Hospital. “We have a tremendous overpopulation of stray animals, dogs and cats, and anything we can do to help curb it I’m all for it.”

Higdon said he was not familiar with Leftover Pets but would like another organization, such as the Humane Society, to provide oversight to ensure the animals are receiving “quality care.”

Higdon Animal Hospital charges $125 to spay an average-sized dog (about 35 pounds), $115 to neuter an average-sized dog, $110 to spay a cat and $92 to neuter a cat. The clinic offers a “shelter rate” for adopted pets from the Humane Society and animal control, which is about half the full cost, Higdon said. Leftover Pets charges $60 to spay an average-sized dog, $45 to neuter an average-sized dog, $45 to spay a cat and $30 to neuter a cat.

Diane Franklin, a veterinarian technician for animal control, believes a low cost spay/neuter clinic is a “needed thing” for the county.

“I think it’s going to benefit the area and I think the numbers will come down,” Franklin said. “I’m hoping that this is just the beginning.”

For information on Leftover Pets, visit http://leftoverpetsinc.googlepages.com/home or call 1-800-978-5226.