State of DeKalb Animals meeting highlights evictions’ impact on pets

DeKalb Commissioner Michelle Long Spears addresses the crowd on May at State of DeKalb Animals Screenshot DeKalb County elected leaders helpers and animal lovers met on Friday May for the second State-of-DeKalb-Animals address at Emory Conference Center Hosted by District Commissioner Michelle Long Spears speakers delivered statistics personal stories and the realities of people and their pets in DeKalb Caring for our companion animals is not just a matter of kindness it s a matter of residents robustness of safety of equity and of compassion It affects the lives of our residents and the soul of our neighborhoods declared Long Spears Keynote speaker Cole Thaler undertaking manager for the Pets In Emergency Backing Venture at the Atlanta Humane Society delivered a sobering look at how evictions displace pets Pets who arrive at shelters had a person or family who loved them but then something happened or a bunch of things happened and that bond was severed Thaler explained Based upon Thaler s research and experience eviction filings in Georgia are cheap and easy To start the eviction process a landlord pays a fee to DeKalb County magistrate court and files a one-page form In turn tenants have three business days to catch up on rent before being served with a dispossessory warrant and seven days to file a response in court Poverty is not a defense to an eviction Thaler noted about Georgia law Cole Thaler of the Atlanta Human Society Screenshot Displaced tenants may find a new lease double up with family or friends move into extended stay motel rooms homeless shelters their car an abandoned house a rented storage unit or sleep on MARTA If those are your options where does your pet go Thaler questioned Rebecca Guinn Lifeline CEO echoed Thaler s observations A record animals entered the DeKalb County Animal Shelter in she explained Every one of these animals came into our care because various sort of human struggle or human failure and we need holistic solutions that endorsement the society encouragement pets as family members and help families Guinn explained Lifeline has made investments to advocacy their operations by hiring a director of shelter medicine a specialized health trainer IT staff a special projects manager and a chief people officer among others The organization is focused on training increasing free veterinary care the launch of a pet food bank and continuing spay and neutering programs DeKalb County has focused its efforts on funding innovative shelter spaces limiting pets per household creating an animal litter registry and supporting the passage of Georgia laws HB and HB Long Spears summarized the meeting by reflecting on her constituents When I first took office I heard from so plenty of of you that I see here in the present day advocates rescues shelter staff veterinarians department heads contributors and the list goes on You all shared your deep concerns about the state of animal welfare in DeKalb What I heard moved me What I saw I could not ignore Out of that urgency we launched the Save Our DeKalb Animal initiative she explained The present day is a moment to reflect to recognize and to recommit for our county s animals to ensure that every companion animal in DeKalb County is treated with the care dignity love and protection they deserve Long Spears explained The post State of DeKalb Animals meeting highlights evictions impact on pets appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta