Dogtime salutes Georgia’s Homeward Bound Pet Rescue of Gilmer County.
How did your organization get started?
Our organization started 10 years ago with three women and $250.00 in a bank account. It started by them just fostering strays and has grown into us having a shelter and finding homes for about 500 animals a year.
What is your mission?
We are dedicated to providing a safe and nurturing environment for unwanted companion animals, while actively seeking permanent homes through our adoption programs. Our goal is to reduce the number of stray cats and dogs in our community by offering cost-effective spay/neuter programs for those in need of financial assistance.
How do most of your animals find their way to you?
Our animals come to us as strays, owner surrenders and from high kill animal control facilities. Most of them come from high kill animal shelters.
What happens to the animals once they are in your care?
Once the animals come to us they receive baths, vaccines and deworming. They then go to our vet and get a full exam, spay/neutered and heartworm tested. Once they receive a clean bill of health they are put up on our website and go up for adoption. Each animal stays with us until their forever home is found, as we are a no-kill rescue group.
Tell us about a particularly compelling animal or inspiring rescue.
About six months ago we rescued a 12-year-old Husky who lived her entire life outside in a backyard in Georgia without shelter. You could not find a sweeter, more loving and graceful senior dog than this girl. We all shed some tears when we were told that she was heartworm positive. We pulled for this girl and treated her and she made it through with flying colors.
Within 15 minutes at her first adoption fair, she was adopted to a wonderful family who had three other dogs. Watching her walk away with her “pack” was on of the most joyous occassions, our only regret was that she did not come to us sooner. This is the life she deserved and this is what dog rescue is about for Homeward Bound.
