A Ribbon Cutting and Grand Opening for Macon-Bibb County’s new Animal Welfare Center (4214 Fulton Mill Road) will be held on Friday, March 20 at 2:00 p.m. In recent weeks, staff from Animal Welfare have worked with animal advocacy and adoption organizations on a series of events to prepare the Center to open, celebrate its opening and the community’s support, and get all of the animals in the old Center adopted.
“The daily work of our current shelter and the opening of our new Animal Welfare Center wouldn’t be possible without the support and assistance of our animal advocacy community,” says Assistant County Manager Steve Layson of these events and partnerships. “They have helped us along throughout this process, and we’re all looking forward to working together in the new facility.”
In early February, Animal Welfare worked with national and local animal advocacy organizations to pardon all of the animals housed in the shelter and hosted a four-day adoption event with reduced fees and a significant push on social media. Working with Shane Smith, who promotes and organizes these types of pardons and adoption events across the country, and former Animal Control Officer and local animal advocate Van VanDeWalker almost all of the animals at the old shelter have been adopted or rescued. To see the animals needing a home at both the old and new shelter and to get updates on adoption events, follow the Animal Welfare on Facebook.
On February 28, local volunteers held a “Fur Baby Shower” for the new Center. More than 300 people came by to see the new shelter and donate supplies that are used on a regular basis or for the office, including food, treats, chew toys, cotton swabs, blankets, towels, and more. If they couldn’t come to come to the event, items were dropped off at Tailspin on Mulberry Street, Ocmulgee Traders on Poplar Street, or Georgia Public Broadcasting on Linden Avenue.
Local volunteer Josephine Bennett got involved with Animal Welfare after fostering a Beagle mix named Lucy and realized there are wonderful animals there waiting for a home. Even if you are unable to adopt or foster, she points out you can still support rescue efforts by coming by the Center to walk a dog, play with a cat, or donate items like food. “The animals at the Center are just pets that lack a family, and I’m committed to doing anything I can to find them homes and increase our community’s interaction with them.”
About the new Animal Welfare Center
The construction of the new Animal Welfare Center is funded with approximately $3.5 million from the voter-approved Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST). Its design is more than double the size of the current Center and will help encourage more adoptions by separating that area from the intake entrance. Its location on Fulton Mill Road is also a much more desirable area, featuring woods and grassy areas where the animals can be walked and kept healthy. The current Center, by contrast, is in a small, cramped building near the landfill.
