Best Friends Animal Society aims to end cat euthanasia in Augusta

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Augusta has a stray cat drawback, and coping with it has staff placing the animals down by means of euthanasia.

Shelter information from the Georgia Division of Agriculture exhibits the Augusta Animal Shelter’s cat euthanasians jumped from greater than 1,000 in 2021 to greater than 1,300 in 2022.

In 2022, town euthanized nearly 4 cats a day. But when Augusta stops euthanizing cats, it may put town in a pinch of overpopulation.

We sat down with the director of the Greatest Associates Animal Society, and so they say there’s one other resolution.

“Animal welfare is and must be a cheerful atmosphere and never one thing that you simply come to every single day having to dread realizing that you simply’re going to must put down an animal,” stated Teddy Tripp, director of operations, Humane Society of Northeast Georgia, Augusta department.

Tripp helps arrange the foster program for pets in Augusta and works carefully with the Augusta Animal Shelter.

“The TNR [Trap, Neuter, and Release] program, you’re really capable of lower the variety of cats which might be capable of populate in that space by having these animals spayed and neutered, after which introduced again,” stated Tripp.

Allison Mayfield is the Humane Society of Northeast Georgia CEO. She stated, “We had a 20% save fee of cats, which is what Augusta Animal Companies has proper now, and in 5 years of doing this TNR program, we now have a couple of 92% save fee.”

From the Division of Agriculture, for all of 2022, solely three Georgia counties euthanized greater than 100 animals in a single month.

Richmond County euthanized greater than 100 cats in a month, six occasions in 2022. Greatest Associates believes {that a} three-year partnership with town can deliver that down dramatically.

Carrie Ducote is with the Greatest Associates Animal Society. She stated, “It’s not solely a waste of assets as a result of the workers time could possibly be used doing one thing else, however it’s additionally actually unhappy for the animals.”

This plan will undergo metropolis commissioners for full approval to attempt to change this ordinance that’s presently in place, and hopefully make Augusta their new residence for the following three years.

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