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Under Old Management
In August 2004, some former members were asked to return to TLC to help the
society.
At the time there were over 100 animals on
the site, many sick or injured or with skin disorders. None were
current on vaccinations, worming or other routine care.
The society's bank account was empty and had debts of several thousand dollars,
including cost of the last mailing by the group and several veterinarians.
The first priority was the animals. Twenty-eight cats
on site were in a very debilitated condition. All, except one, were
accepted by Cats in the Cradle, a no-kill adoption group. They treated the
sick and injured, and brought them all up to date on preventive care. They
socialized the shy ones and as of June 2005, they were all adopted.
A veterinarian assessed the dogs and gave them rabies shots. The
society got together, identified the animals, brought preventive care up
to date and updated the health records. The ill and injured were treated. Those with skin disorders were
isolated and treated. The society created new by-laws and a
new board under the then president. The new group was very frustrated
because attempts to improve the living conditions of the animals or to
limit the number of animals were rebuffed. In October the
shelter received a very negative review from the Georgia Department of
Agriculture. Soon after the president resigned. In
December, the new group met again with the Department of Agriculture who
had come to shut the shelter down. They were surprised at how much the
group had been able to do since the October report. They decided that the
shelter could continue as long as conditions continued to improve and the
number of animals were reduced. For the first few months of
2005, the group was overburdened with animal care. The dog kennels were
moved from low ground to an existing concrete slab. The dog
kennels were not strong enough to contain the animals and the panels have
been patched and repatched. With adoptions, some given to
other agencies [see NSAL at Home Page] and refusing to take more animals
there are now no cats and less than 30 dogs on site. Some of these may
stay with TLC for their lifetime because past abuse and neglect may render
them forever unadoptable. TLC needs help. Except for
a small mailing sent out in December 2004 to solicit funds, all fundraising has
been set aside in favor of the animals. A few donations are keeping the
group alive but much more needs to be done. The dogs need
new kennels on a new slab with a roof over them, the grass needs cutting
and we need normal maintenance. The small block house needs a complete
renovation, including walls, doors, windows and floor covering. The
newsletter needs to be reinstated. Educational programs need to be
reinstated. The debts need to be paid. Some have mentioned
taking bankruptcy but that leaves our veterinarians and others unpaid. We
must regain the trust of the community by honoring the debts incurred over
the last two years in the name of TLC. AND the society needs to be able to dream
again. The vision of a place where animals can be given special
care, a place where animals can live out their days in comfort if they are
never adopted, a place where animals and their owners can come for
recreation and training, a place where the disabled are welcome, both animals and humans, a place
where humane education can flourish. This vision seems very far away as we
chase down an escaped dog and put another patch on the chainlink. Please
trust that we will be a good steward of your donations and help us help
animals. To
give, click on the "make a donation" button at the top right of
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