written by Emily Goldstein and Susan Ruelle
In today's world with what seems to be a never ending rise of expenses, getting the proper care for our pets can be overwhelming. Some have had to make the difficult decision to surrender to Animal shelters not knowing there are services available right here in our own backyard. Did you know there are low cost spay/neuter clinics, pet food banks to distribute free pet food, low cost clinics for shots and more? Please look at this resource guide to so many services right here in Gwinnett County waiting to help pet owners. By taking care of your pets needs including spaying and neutering you can cut down the amount of animals entering into shelters dramatically. These clinics are affordable and more importantly they stop pets from being surrendered into the shelter when homes cannot be found.
Did you know that there are other benefits to spaying and neutering your pet?
Good for your pet. Spaying or neutering your pet can decrease the risk of diseases that are expensive to treat.Pets that are spayed or neutered have up to an 85% lower risk of certain types of cancers and other serious health complications.Animals that are fixed make better companions because they are not motivated to wander in search of a mate.
Good for you. eliminate annoying behavioral problems.Altered animals are significantly less likely to mark or spray urine.Female animals in heat can cry incessantly, act nervous and attract males from all around. Having your pet spayed eliminates the heat cycle.Animals that have been spayed or neutered are less likely to bite, roam or get into fights.
Good for our community. A compassionate society knows there is a better way to solve overpopulation than needlessly euthanizing unwanted animals.Communities spend millions of dollars to control unwanted companion animals. Spaying and neutering helps reduce the number of strays and unwanted animals in our community. Unintentional breeding is the root cause of most vicious dog bites and attacks.Spaying or neutering reduces an animal’s desire to roam, resulting in fewer traffic accidents and neighborhood complaints of nuisance animals.
RESOURCES FOR CURRENT PET OWNERS
If you are having problems caring for your animal, instead of giving the animal up please consider some of these resources that might be able to help you.
FOOD ASSISTANCE: Daffy’s Pet Soup Kitchen www.daffyspetsoupkitchen.com – Daffy's helps pets and families in need by giving out food and other assistance to pet owners that have fallen on hard times. If you have lost your job, find yourself on disability or anything preventing you from caring for your pet, contact us. We can help!
Save Our Pets Food Bank – www.saveourpetsfoodbank.org – Save Our Pets Food Bank is a non-profit organization dedicated to help families keep their pets in their home. When Save Our Pets Food Bank started in 2008 we had no idea the need for our services would continue to grow. We do not see the need decreasing any time soon. This includes free pet food on a monthly basis and soon low cost heartworm care.
Pet Buddies Food Pantry – www.petbuddiesfoodpantry.org – Pet Buddies Food Pantry is a group of volunteers dedicated to keeping pets & families together during hard financial times. We do this by donating pet food & supplies, as well as assisting families with spaying & neutering their pets. Our goal is to lessen the amount of animals that are left behind or relinquished to local animal shelters. We donate pet food to low income, seniors, disabled & the homeless with pets.
LOW COST VETERNARIAN SERVICES:
The Society of Humane Friends– http://www.sohfga.com/sohfgas-spay-neuter-clinic.html
Planned Pethood of GA – www.plannedpethoodga.com
Value Vet Lawrenceville – www.valuevet.net
WellPet Humane Chamblee – www.wellpethumane.com
Lifeline Atlanta – www.atlantapets.org
Leftover Pets Winder – www.leftoverpets.org
BEHAVIORAL ISSUES:
Pets for Life – www.petsforlife.org – Pets for Life builds humane communities using innovative strategies and fresh approaches designed to extend the reach of animal services, resources, and information to under-served areas. Addressing the critical need for accessible, affordable pet care, our program helps animals by empowering the people who care for them.
ASPCA – www.aspca.org/Pet-care/virtual-pet-behaviorist - Now you can get pet-behavior advice from ASPCA experts 24 hours a day, right from your computer. Our nationally recognized team of animal behaviorists offers possible solutions to a wide range of issues at no charge. Simply type your pet's behavior problem into our easy-to-use database, and you'll receive step-by-step advice—without leaving home.
TEMPORARY HOUSING ASSISTANCE:
Ahimsa House – www.ahimsahouse.org – In families affected by domestic violence, pets are also at risk. Abusers threaten, injure, and kill family pets to terrorize others in the home--yet most domestic violence shelters are unable to allow pets to accompany their owners to safety. Nearly 50% of individuals delay escaping the abuse because of concern about their pets. Ahimsa House provides emergency pet safe housing, veterinary care, pet-related safety planning, legal advocacy, a 24-hour crisis line, outreach programs, and other services to help the human and animal victims of domestic violence across Georgia reach safety together
P.A.L.S. Atlanta – www.palsatlanta.org – P.A.L.S. helps people with critical illness or disabilities and the elderly keep their existing pets, despite medical or financial changes brought on by illness. Animals eligible to receive services must be adult animals and live in the home at least two years prior to enrollment.
Safe Haven 4 Pets – www.sh4p.org - Our fosters keep pets for people who have a displacement due to medical, financial or military issues, with the intent of placing the pet back with that family. We do this by providing temporary care giving services or assistance until the owner recovers from their temporary hardship such as: Military deployment or rehabilitation, Medical issues – hospitalization.
