I thought we had a no-kill shelter. That was one of the things I was most proud of in Cobb County. Now they're putting them to sleep because of budget cuts? Not acceptable in my opinion. The first things on the list that should be taken care of are all living things. First humans and then the animals. Take care of the roads and median "landscaping" later. Do not euthanize perfectly healthy animals. I will be letting them know I am not happy.

Thanks Pam, for standing up for our animals. Cobb County Animal Control has always been a 'kill' shelter. I have to say, it is much more humane now than it ever has been in the past. I has a long way to go though.
Cobb Humane Society is a non-profit that is a 'no kill' shelter in Marietta, perhaps that's what you are thinking of.

Cobb has never been a no-kill, but this is what we are fighting for. Seperating the Police dept from animal control for starters. Cobb being one of the wealthiest counties in GA yet running a 3rd world shelter, where dogs sleep on concrete, get no outside time, very litte if any vetting, fed once daily, no AC and these animals are mainly cared for by jailmates. I had photographed on several occasions to get home and email them over to upload onto petfinder to only be told that several of those healthy animals have already been put to death - when there were at least 2 rows of open kennels. This shelter needs a BIG change and BIG voices are needed for these animals. I think the budget cost need to start for the officers you see at animal control standing around scratching their butts - yep see it every time I am up there.

Cobb has never been no-kill - actually with 6,000 animals killed there yearly they are considered High Kill. The shelter is run by the police department -- military style, follow the chain of command, question NOTHING, do as you are told no matter if it means more animals die or suffer. There is no compassion for the animals. As a matter of fact the shelter manager has been heard on many occassions joking that a particular dog or cat had just been sent to 'go see Jesus'. Employees that try to help the animals are actually discouraged from doing so -- they get wriiten up for it!! Animals are no longer listed onPetFinder - except by a group of dedicated volunteers . Instead they are listed on a site that no one uses - that most cant even get to work (me for one) and that doesnt even list the pictures of the animals unless you click to get more info. The county site is not usable and a waste of time and effort. Shelter management wont even release useful information about the number of animals put down.. WHY? What are they hiding??? A recent rescue groups request through open records got them a sheet complete with blacked out information -- unusable by intent. I want transparancy! This shelter IS run like a 3rd world shelter... on probably the biggest budget in the state. What is wrong with this picture?? Management.. and management with compassion. Let's privitize it and save money and safe more animals!

Great comments JanieG. We will find a way to improve the shelter. We will not give up. There are many of us out there working on it. We need all the volunteers we can get to come join us, CCAA.

I distinctly remember that when we voted many years ago to approve the funds to build the new shelter that it was considered a no-kil shelter. They stated that they would not put any animal to sleep unless it was sick or completely unadoptable. I remember asking one of the workers in there a couple of years ago and they told me the same thing. So if they are euthanizing healthy, happy animals, something has changed, and not for the good. Even though I don't like to see dogs and cats caged, I have come to accept that they are better off like that than being in a house where nobody took care of them or wandering the streets looking for food (and love). And I have seen them letting the dogs outside to run for a little while. If the shelter is "overbooked", then some of our tax money should go to enlarge it.

aye...there's the rub...it's all about semantics.

Unfortunately, I have seen the animals at the shelter without food or water...and with dirty cages and litterboxes. There are a tremendous amount of animals and not that many staff workers, so I can understand the logistics. When I pointed out the animals' conditions to them, they took care of it; but, I'm only there one day of the week. Utilizing prisoners and community service/probation people would also be helpful.
The shelter most definitely needs to be enlarged. The cats never get out of their cage and a couple of them have been there since December.

As for love...I see that a lot less often. But I guess that's typical too...how many people love their jobs.

We need to work harder to move more animals out thru rescues and adoption events. Volunteer at the shelter to help in any way. They do hope to put together some on site adoption events in the future. Volunteer now and make the future now.

As for the comments about sleeping on the concrete, CCAC is working hard to get the beds in every run. They are fed twice a day every day. and cared for mostly by prison inmates? How often are you at the shelter. Having inmates takes an office to keep them in their line of vision. Not so with volunteers So if you are so concerned about what's happening there, VOLUNTEER. Several of the loudest speaking people don't volunteer and haven't set foot in the shelter except to meet with the Captain once. Go to any animal control shelter outside of the metro Atlanta area and you will come away crying at how those animals are treated. The key is to get involved and do something besides complaining about it and passing around incorrect information.

Janie Gryder-My last name is not Gryder-did not know you had a corner on the Janie G market. Not sure why you'd thnk someone was trying to be you without signing your last name? But I apologize if I offended you. I do not post my full name on internet forums-too many weirdos out there - so switched to another email addy for this response.
Correction Fran ---CCAC is not trying hard to put beds in every run -- that is a VOLUNTEER effort.. marketed through volunters and thru the FOSA site. As a matter of fact I beleive staff had to be told to stop throwing the Karanda beds away. Cobb AC wont even let the dogs have blankets most of the time. Do you know who is at the shelter during the 6 days they are open - are you an employee that watches and notes everyone that visits the shelter? I have no idea who you are-so does that make your opinion less important\valid? No. I am not an OFFICIAL volunteer because I am still struggling with why MY county requires a background\credit check done in order to clean out a litter box as a volunteer. Yet another way to keep out s many volunteers as possible? Lets look at all the volunteers that have gone through the 'process'- and have quickly quit. You will hear the same story over and over They were openly treated poorly so they refused to come back. Lets do a survey - I will eat my words if it is not so. Why so few regular, returning volunteers in a county so huge? Seems odd and obvious that there is a problem. Sign me Just Jane-no G.

Hey Pam -- nothing has changed- healthy, happy, highly adoptable, sweet - even completely vaccinated, altered animals continue to be killed. And the ones taking the animals outside are a very few dedicated, incredible volunteers - not shelter staff. Its easy to label an animal as aggressive and to kill it - so many are so terrified so thats aggressive, right?The CCAC answer is yes.
Please become more involved in animal control. We need help. We need people who are willing to speak out about the bad things that go on -- and ones that champion the good things...not those who think things are great because some things are better than at Fultons and Dekalbs shelters. We need people who advocate for humane treatment of defenseless animals -- not those who are happy with negligable "improvements". I've lived in Cobb for a long time-and I am proud of my county.. but not proud of our animal control. The facility is nice.. the death is unacceptable.
Jane out - gotta snuggle with my CobbAC rescues.Would love to save um all. Come to the commission meeting tomorrow

The assumption that animals are without rights, and the illusion that our treatment of them has no moral significance, is a positively outrageous example of Western crudity and barbarity. Universal compassion is the only guarantee of morality.

-Arthur Schopenhauer

We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals. - Immanuel Kant

It is just like man's vanity and impertinence to call an animal dumb because it is dumb to his dull perceptions.

- Mark Twain

I received a reply from Commissioner Thompson to my email:

" The BOC has approved the 10% budget cuts for ALL departments. I don’t necessarily agree with across the board cuts, there could be less for some and more for others. The Chairman told me today he and the county manager are meeting with Public Safety (which includes animal control) first of next week to see where we can make adjustments.

I spent 2 hours with Captain Patellis last week discussing this issue. He’s done a good job out there and I want to help him in any way I can."

I will be doing a follow up interview with Commissioner Thompson after the meeting next week. I'll keep you all posted. I hope to see you all tonight at the meeting.

At the shelter today a very strange event occured.
Boo, the 14-year-old cat that was gone last week (supposedly died in his cage from the Rhino virus)was back! He looks healthy and was eager to get out. In fact, he was so eager, I couldn't take a photo of him. He must be a true Easter kitty - resurrected.
Anyone out there willing to adopt such a fine fellow?

Okay, this is what is on the Humane Society's website:

"Strays are held five (5) working days (Animal Control working days) prior to the animal being deemed property of Cobb County, in accordance to Cobb County Ordinance Section 10-67. After that time, animals are held for an indefinite period of time. If space is available and the animal is healthy and not aggressive the animal will be held until adoption or until its status changes. "

So, in my opinion, this is considered a no-kill shelter. That doesn't mean they are following their own rules, but if they are running out of room, find out which dogs get along and pair them up. I'm not crazy about animals being put in cages, but look at how many people "crate" their dogs during the day while they're at work and during the night. I don't like that. It's like telling your pet that they really aren't part of the family. There is no easy answer to this problem. The Humane Society is not a doggie daycare or a nice kennel where you leave your pet when you go on vacation. They will not be taken care of as well as if they were living in a home, but at least they are better off than they would be if they roaming the streets or in a household that was abusing them. I don't agree with euthanizing perfecctly healthy animals and I will look into that.

Pam - sorry - you got me on a roll - Re your comment about doubling up, the shelter mgr wants no doubling allowed anymore... they generally separate even bonded pairs that come in together. Its easier to clean that way. (They also feed only once per day for the same reason). I understand the mgr has said repeatedly that he wants to get to the point of one dog per divided run (the runs are long with a guillotine door separating so a dog can move to one side when cleaning is done). SO- he wants even more animals killed. Why they cant have someone take each dog out to the outside runs while theyre cleaning a run, I dont get-- but that would take effort and caring. Other than being tied outside of its run during cleaning (if the dog is lucky enough to be removed from the run when its cleaned), the dogs only get out maybe once a week -- and generally only if a volunteer takes them out. Healthly animals are put down daily.. do the math.. 6000 killed per year - that a huge chunk per the 5 full days they are open weekly. Animals that are scared, nervous are labeled agressive and killed - even if rescue would get them - they frequently arent given time. Animals that have skin issues are killed; animals that have a cough or runny nose are killed. Imagine if they did that at our shelters for humans. Its easy to meet the labels and have a reason to put an animal down. There is no tranparancy there. The animals need a voice.. lots of them.

Okay, I get it now. I guess I thought the Human Society was part of the Animal Control organization. So which organization did we vote on to be rebuilt several years ago? Sorry for my confusing comments!

Pam - It would have had to have been Cobb County Animal Control. CC Humane Society is a non-profit; thus, it has nothing to do with taxes or voting.
I urge you to begin to go to the shelter regularly to visit the animals...in fact, I encourage everyone to go regularly and visit the animals. The animals could use the love and the public awareness would make a huge impact on their care.

Pam, Please go volunteer. There are very few dedicated volunteers. The staff is not always volunteer friendly. Some are great but there are a few you have to look past. I have been going to the shelter almost evey day for about 3 years now. I am there for the animals. I walk dogs and post animals to petfinder. I will help any staff member do anything if they ask but am not there for them so I do not care if they are friendly ot not. You have to fill out an application and go through a background check. Then you have yo attend an orientation. The next orientation is May 11. Please come help. We have only a handful of volunteers. The dogs only get out of the runs 1-2 time a week for about 10 minutes. Cats never get out. There are a 3 dedicatedcat volunteers that come only on Sundays.

Citizens and Voters in Georgia can start by bringing the Companion Animal Act to Georgia to start the changes in Kill Shelters.

For more information about the Companion Act .

http://news.yahoo.com/s/usnw/20110520/pl_usnw/DC06058_1

To join the Georgia Voters for Animal Welfare on Facebook and for additional information that applies to contacting legislators to bring about changes in Georgia~

https://www.facebook.com/GeorgiaVotersForAnimalWelfare?sk=wall&filter=2

Also join Georgia Department of Agriculture~ ANIMAL PROTECTION Steering Committee's Facebook page.
Each member of this team was appointed by Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black as an informal means for them to solicit input from the citizens of Georgia regarding Animal Control facilities in Georgia.

https://www.facebook.com/GeorgiaVotersForAnimalWelfare?sk=wall&filter=2#!/georgia.animal.protection

What politician wants the political suicide of being branded as "not" a supporter of homeless animals!
We just have to let them know!

Lorie

Thanks Lorie...you've listed some excellent sites - much appreciated. It's all about numbers and votes...and every vote and voice adds one more to the total. We can change things and now you can help without even leaving home. Amazing and wonderful.

How heartbreaking to read about the Cobb County Shelters and so many others like them. I have such a hard time comprehending why in 2011 humans are still turning their family pets in and discarding them like yesterdays garbage. Somehow we need to direct our attention in educating the public and teach them the abc's of what it means to be a compassionate and decent human being. I think if people had any idea, any idea at all as to what happens to all the poor cats and dogs that are dumped off and disgarded at all the shelters across the country, the numbers would drop dramatically. At least I kind only pray they would. We as humans have such a very very long way to go in learning what it means to be decent compassionate human beings. God help us all.
Debbie S.

Amen Debbie

Very well put, Debbie! I second Vicki's AMEN to that!

We must change the government ideology. Government regards Road salt as a purchased asset and a dog is acquired liability. Politicians are not people. The people of Cobb County are more interested in watching Dancing with the Stars and American Idol then knowing what's going on in our government.

"The board is willing to hear ideas and concerns..." I would like you to substitute the word "willing" with the word "required". See... that's the point I'm trying to make.

I would like the county to transition to a no kill program.