Our Mission

To develop and implement collaborative lifesaving initiatives to ensure a safe placement for all savable dogs and cats that enter Georgia shelters.

The Georgia Animal Shelter Alliance is a group of animal welfare agencies working together to help Georgia's pets. We are a voluntary association, not an independent organization.

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WHAT WE DO

  • Provide organizations with mentoring on implementing nationally recognized best practices for animal welfare (see below)

  • Connect organizations looking for help with those able to provide mentorships

  • Collect and interpret Georgia animal shelter data 

  • Help partner organizations with anything else that will increase positive outcomes for dogs and cats including: ​

    • understanding rules and regulations for Georgia licensed shelters 

    • speaking to elected officials

    • assistance with grant writing

    • increasing volunteerism

    • marketing and PR

    • and much more
       

WHAT WE DON'T DO​

  • pull animals from shelters or accept owner surrendered animals

  • adopt animals

  • take over or operate animal shelters  

  • demonize or attack shelters who do not implement best practices

The Alliance works with our partners on a case by case basis to determine the most effective way to save the most animals. Not all of these practices will be appropriate for each shelter and there are many more programs that can be implemented to help shelters save more dogs and cats.

While saving animals is the primary focus of The Alliance, these programs are also fiscally responsible, garner community support and improve staff morale. 

Read more about best practices in the Humane Animal Control Manual or contact us to bring these to your community. 

Community Cat Programs

  • In Georgia, Cats account for 40% of the intake and 60% of the euthanasia. 

  • Community Cat Programs sterilize and vaccinate free roaming cats instead of euthanizing them. This decreases their population more effectively and humanely than trapping and euthanizing them. 

  • Complaint mitigation is provided to citizens so their concerns about the cats can be resolved by non lethal means

  • Read more about community cat programs, complaint mitigation and the impact these programs have on shelter euthanasia and the community in the Community Cat Program Handbook. 

Community Cat Program Handbook
Managed Intake

  • Although animal shelters tend to focus on increasing positive outcomes to decrease euthanasia, decreasing intake can be another effective way of saving animals. 

  • Making appointments for owner surrenders can allow shelter staff to offer resources in lieu of surrendering the animal. Owner surrender appointments have not been shown to increase abandonment of animals. 

  • Resources like dog houses, leashes, collars food and medical care can be offered

  • Read more about community outreach to help people and pets stay together in the Pets for Life manual. 

Pets for Life Toolkit
Open Adoptions

  • People are doing the right thing by choosing to adopt and should not have to overcome unreasonable barriers to prove themselves worthy of pet ownership. 

  • 95% of families who are denied adoption obtain a pet elsewhere (Source: Carter Luke, MSPCA)

  • Examine adoption fees, adoption applications, wait times, adoption hours, and ensure they are completely welcoming to all. 

  • Low barrier adoptions allow organizations to form lasting relationships with the community and be seen as a resource in the future. 

  • Read more about how open and fee waived adoptions do not affect attachment levels on ASPCA Pro's website. 

ASPCA Pro

©2018 by Georgia Animal Shelter Alliance