From foreclosures to evictions, people who lose their home need to find new accommodations for their furry friends.
Gilmer County Animal Shelter director Kelly Pickering says most of the time, they end up with her.
“There’s hardly the same process for each one,” Pickering said. “Hopefully there have been arrangements made for pets in these situations, oftentimes there aren’t.”
The local animal shelter works to house stray dogs and cats, and handle any pets animal control brings in. Pickering says that when people lose their home, they call the shelter with the hope that they take theirs as well.
However, pets used to living in a home are recommended to be sent to a rescue or foster instead. She says the shelter can be a stressful environment for these pets.
“Animal welfare is a crisis throughout the country right now,” Pickering said. “Rescues don’t have a lot of space either so we’re kind of a last resort.”
While the shelter does what they can to house any pet, they try working with their owner to make other arrangements, especially if they are at capacity.
“We hope to maybe find a family member that’s willing to take them, or sometimes a suitable neighbor that might have a relationship with the animal through being friends with the owner,” Pickering said.
Anyone that would take ownership of the animal would be vetted by them and go through the adoption process of the shelter. That process involves a public records check, and making sure their address is pet friendly.
If the evicted pet owner wants to get their animal back, the shelter will work with them on a case-by-case basis.
“If it’s only gonna be a few days that they’re relocating, then there’s a possibility that they can get their animal back, but I mean if it’s a few months then hopefully we’ve got that dog into another home before then,” Pickering says. “But if not, if they can show us that they are in a stable environment and things have changed, then we’ll certainly consider it.”
The best thing someone in the process of being evicted can do, she says, is not wait until the last minute to find arrangements for their pet.
“The sooner we know that there’s a problem, the better chances we have of helping find placement,” Pickering explained. “We have a pretty extensive list of rescues, and just to call them diligently.”
One of those rescues is Homeward Bound, helping animals from high-kill shelters across north Georgia, or those that were surrendered by their owners, find new homes.
“We do get a lot of owner surrender calls and we can’t always take them and it’s heartbreaking,” Vice President Jane Tischler said. “The poor animals aren’t in control of the situation. Sometimes people aren’t even in control of their situation, but we do the best we can to try to offer out our help and services.”
Those interested in volunteering, fostering or donating to Homeward Bound Pet Rescue can find more information at hbpr.org. The more fosters they, or other rescues have that are willing to help, provide the shelter more options to care for pets in need.
“We open up a space in [the Gilmer County Animal Shelter] if we pull a dog,” Tischler explained. “If someone fosters for us that opens up one of our spaces. We have small kennels, seven on the small dog side and we could take probably four or five of up to 40-pound dogs. If a foster takes them, that’s another space to pull another dog.”
Ellijay Paws in Need is another rescue that works with the Gilmer County Animal Shelter directly to care for its dogs. If you are interested in adopting a dog or becoming a foster with them, visit ellijaypaws.org.