“Animals are such agreeable friends – they ask no questions, they pass no criticisms.” – George Eliot
I am an animal lover, so it’s no surprise that one of my favorite parts of the Christmas manger scene is the animals grouped around Baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph on the night of his birth.
There is something so right about the Son of God being welcomed to this often cold, cruel world by gentle creatures the Lord made. I like to think the warm breath of the animals, their soft low night noises and the sweet smell of the hay in the stable comforted the little family as they lie looking at that bright star, wondering about the unknown ahead.
Christmas is a time for giving and our community steps up generously to provide gifts and food for our neighbors in need. Another group that bears remembering at this time of charitable donation is the animals - the many, many unwanted animals in our county.
In March, 2011 this paper started running “Pets of the Week” photos of adoptable animals at the Barrow County Animal Shelter and later from Pup & Cat Co., a local animal rescue/humane society. “Pets” quickly became a popular feature that not only tugged at Barrow’s heartstrings, but helped animals find homes. Hearing that a dog or cat got adopted because someone “saw its picture the paper and just fell in love,” is one of the most rewarding parts of my job.
I take the “Pet of the Week” pictures and type up the information and some of the things I see and hear are gut-wrenching. Mother dogs and cats, dumped just before or just after they deliver…dogs that have been used to fight and/or over breed…dogs kept on chains so tight their necks are permanently scarred…pampered housecats, declawed, spay/neutered, then cast aside for reasons that never seem good enough…It’s their eyes that get to me, these animals’ eyes as they look up, so hopefully, so sadly, some in such confusion, wondering what comes next.
There are two local non-profit agencies that do so much for animals in this community. One is Pup & Cat Co. Its volunteers rescue dogs and cats from the Barrow shelter, the side of the road and anywhere else they are abused or no longer wanted. The animals are spay/neutered, given vet care and fostered until they find their “forever homes,” no matter how long that takes.
Ursula Miller, who is as close to being this community’s St. Francis of Assisi as anyone could be, has spearheaded Pup & Cat Co. for the past 15 years. Her efforts and those of her volunteers are tireless on behalf of the animals. In addition to everything else they do, they take adoptable pets to the Barrow and Buford Petsmart stores every Saturday, 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Go visit them there and see what I’m talking about, those sad stories, those hopeful eyes...
Since we started featuring Pup & Cat Co. pets early this year, every other week, we have had the fun of running 60 “Happy Ending” photos - meaning 60 of our featured Pup & Cat Co. pets have found their forever homes. Who says the news is all bad?
Leftover Pets, a Barrow-based, low-cost spay/neuter clinic is the other non-profit agency that goes above and beyond to not only rescue and help unwanted animals, but also to prevent unwanted litters. Susan Thompson and Amber Polvere opened the clinic in July of 2011 and since then have spay/neutered nearly 2,000 dogs and cats. In addition, they rescue about 60 cats from the Barrow shelter every six months.
Leftover Pets’ rates are reasonable and they offer assistance programs for low-income families or homes with multiple pets. They also offer a half-price day for Barrow residents once each month and adopt out cats at the Duluth Petsmart every Saturday, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. They, too, have dedicated volunteers who will do anything to help the animals.
St. Francis of Assisi said, “A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows;” that is particularly true when kind acts are made on behalf of animals. They may live primarily in the present, but they carry the scars and pleasant impression of things past. That food, that donation of something an animal might not otherwise have, that financial support, giving of your time – these “sunbeams” mean so much to our furry friends and to the agencies that work with such dedication to help them.
So, please, this holiday season, consider giving a gift to the animals; even a small gift can “drive away many shadows.”
For information, to volunteer or to donate to Pup & Cat Co., go to www.pupandcatco.com, call 770-867-1622, or send a check to PO Box 1987, Winder, GA 30680. To help Leftover Pets, go to www.leftoverpets.org, call 770-307-3499 or 800-978-5226, or send an offering to 819 Davenport Rd., Braselton, GA 30517.
Lorin Sinn-Clark is a writer for the Barrow Journal. She can be reached at lorin@barrowjournal.com
