Albany Humane Society increases adoptions despite influx of abandoned, surrendered dogs
Staff Photo: Alan Mauldin
By Alan Mauldin
alan.mauldin
@albanyherald.com
ALBANY — On Wednesday, while telling the story of two puppies abandoned in a commercial garbage container, Albany Humane Society Director Lulu Kaufman linked employee Payton Jarrell into the phone conversation.
The pup and an apparent sibling had been thrown into the Dumpster in a bag, and the female was severely injured.
Jarrell hesitated when asked for an update, seemingly not wanting to give the bad news. … During a follow-up examination, the veterinarian had determined the canine’s spleen had been ruptured and it had been necessary to euthanize the animal.
Kaufman was heartbroken, and also angry.
Such stories are common. … Like two puppies with severe mange abandoned under a tree on Radium Springs Road and a dog thrown by a man over a security fence at the Humane Society’s northwest Albany adoption center, breaking its leg.
In the latter case, a police officer said he would “talk to” the man, who had been identified, Kaufman said, but police took no further action.
The four surviving dogs from those three incidents are recovering, but reviving them physically through vet visits and spiritually through interaction with other dogs and people does cost money.
Against those cases of abuse and neglect, the organization points to a major success: a significant increase in the number of animals that are rehabilitated and able to find forever homes.
“We’re at a 90% save rate, which makes us officially a no-kill shelter for 2020, 2021 and 2022,” Kaufman said. “Compared to five or six years ago when we were under a 50% save rate. That’s like the highest standard. That’s what everybody reaches for.”
On Thursday at the shelter, employees and volunteers worked with the dogs, allowing them out of indoor kennels to run in an enclosed space or just spend time outdoors for treats and hugs.
The adoption agencies that AHS works with require evidence that dogs get along with other animals and people, Jarrell said, and this socialization is part of the effort to make them acceptable for transport to one of those organizations’ facilities.
The dogs brought in in pairs by employee Adam Braley also got time to romp and play with friends they have made while at the shelter.
The shelter also offers opportunities for members of the public to work with the animals through volunteer work and as foster parents for short periods. And it recently has started a “date with a dog” initiative. Individuals can “check out” a dog for an hour or a weekend, even.
The shelter’s needs also include the financial. Each incoming dog costs about $30 for vaccines. And the need for dog and cat food is never-ending. Cleaning supplies including bleach and Fabuloso are also much needed, as are blankets. Monetary donations may be made at albanyhumane.org.
On Wednesday AHS was sheltering a total of about 160 dogs and seven cats.
“We operate through donations,” Kaufman said.
The AHS contracts with the city and county to keep dogs collected in abuse and bite cases, but that money does not come anywhere close to paying the roughly $500,000 annual budget, she said.
Other agencies also have pitched in, including grants of $40,000 and $30,000 in 2022 for a spay/neuter program in Dougherty and several other southwest Georgia counties.
The number of dumping cases has increased lately, Kaufman said. Although it is illegal to dump dogs at shelters, people often do anyway.
“We get it a lot, but it seems like it’s a lot more than usual,” Kaufman said. “The things that happen with animals in this community are awful. We’re getting a lot of dogs with scratches or burns on their backs. It’s awful.”
A newer phenomena is dogs being surrendered by people who got them for company while stuck at home during the pandemic.
“This is an issue,” Kaufman said. “We’ve seen an influx of dogs coming in after people went back to work and the dogs develop separation anxiety and they can’t handle them. They’re coming into the shelter.
“We have so many bite cases. We had 10 bite cases in the last week.”
Despite the constant supply of dogs coming in, despite the high number of adoptions being made, Kaufman retains some optimism.
“The Humane Society is fabulous,” she said. “We’re doing work keeping our dogs warm during the cold weather. We have lots of heaters in our outside kennels.
AHS also had received a good score from the Georgia Department of Agriculture during an inspection last week, she said.
“Things are going really well,” she said. “Adoptions are up. We’re transporting our animals to rescue shelters. We’re saving lives, more than ever before.”
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