Gail Posey, owner of Posey Shelter Pet Promoters in Cedartown, had to move her animal rescue operation from her home to a downtown location at 1109 S. Main St. because of its growing success. She also runs a pet food pantry out of her downtown location. (Aimee H. Madden/CS-RJ)
Gayle Posey opened her non-profit facility at 1109 South Main Street, Cedartown in November. She had been running the rescue organization, which has been a federally recognized non-profit organization since 2009, at her Fish Creek home until it became so successful that Posey had to move it to a more commercial location.
The organization does several things that help both animals and pet-owners alike. Posey said its primary function is pet rescue. Her shelter gets most of its animals, both dogs and cats, from the Polk County Animal Shelter where they would likely be euthanized.
Posey works with Internet pet searches, particularly Petfinder.com, to get the animals adopted. She said she also works with other rescue groups to make sure each animal has the best chance for adoption.
Posey said she started in this effort when a litter of puppies came to her door.
“Someone had dropped off a litter of puppies from an abandoned home near where I lived. I didn’t want to just turn them over to animal control,” she said.
So she put the puppies on Petfinder.com.
“The puppies from that litter were adopted almost immediately,” she said.
That prompted her to think that more could be done with the Internet to connect adoptable pets with potential pet owners.
Posey said she began volunteering at the animal control shelter. While there, she would take pictures of adoptable animals, promote them on the Internet, and coordinate adoptions.
Posey said she began to realize how many animals are euthanized every week.
“I started taking some on my own that were highly adoptable and just needed more time,” she said.
Animals at Posey Shelter Pet Promoters Inc. are given all their shots, are spayed or neutered, de-wormed, and are micro chipped before they are adopted out. Those adopting dogs pay a fee of $175 for males and $200 for females to cover those costs. The fee for cats is $50 for either male or female.
With her new location, potential pet owners can come by and see the animals during operating hours, which are 4-7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturday.
The shelter also has a lost-cost spay and neuter transport program where pet owners can get their pets necessary care. Cat care ranges from $45 to $60 while dog sterilizations cost been $65 to $80, depending on the animal’s gender.
Reservations are required.
One service that Posey’s shelter has that stands out is the pet food pantry. Posey said she knows many people facing economic hardship are being forced to give up their pet because they can’t afford to feed it.
“The pet food pantry is for people having trouble feeding their animals so those pets don’t end up at the shelter,” she said.
Posey said she is proud of the success of her shelter. In 2012, there were 224 adoptions and 207 transfers to rescue groups. Additionally, the group has coordinated 313 adoptions coordinated through Polk County Animal Control.
Her records show that 565 animals have participated in the spay/neuter program last year and 38 families utilized the pet food pantry.
“The community has been very receptive,” Posey said. “The city officials have been fantastic.”
Those wishing to support the charity’s efforts can write it off on taxes, since the group is a 501(c)(3). Posey said monetary donations are wonderful, but she would also like people to contribute pet food to the pet pantry. Volunteers are also needed.
She said the shelter has a few people now that help out feeding and caring for the animals housed there, but more volunteers would help free time to coordinate more adoptions.
Those wanting more information about pet adoption or donating can call 678-361-7304.
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