The Humane Society of Morgan County is pleased to announce our 2010 $10,000 Raffle! Tickets will go on sale in January and the drawing will be held in the early spring (date to be announced). Don’t miss your chance to win $10,000!

Cyndi came to us in mid-June.  Her owner passed away around Christmas time and his house has fallen into bad repair - overgrown grass, misc. items strewn about the yard, etc. Neighbors finally called the code enforcement officers to see what could be done about the eyesore house.  When the officer went out he found that the dead man's dog was still there, hiding under the porch.  She was scared, HORRIBLY matted, filthy, and blind.  The poor girl had survived the winter and had been eating the neighbors cat food to survive.  She was very grateful to finally be rescued! 

The Humane Society made an appointment with a canine opthalmologist to see what could be done to possibly restore Cyndi's vision.  Although she's not an old dog, it appears that it may be cataracts that have caused her blindness.  Her left eye is a good to fair candidate for cataract removal surgery.  Dr. Pentlarge feels she would likely regain pretty good vision.  Surgery for cataract removal $1600.00

Unfortunately her left eye must be completely removed. Not only is the cataract much worse, but she also has severe glaucoma.  Dr. Pentlarge feels there would be little hope for a significant improvement no matter how much money was spent (she stated that if it were her dog she would remove the eye).  Glaucoma causes pressure in the eye and is also painful, that's why she suggested to remove it. Cost of removal $450.00.

Cyndi has a great personality, is good with other dogs and cats, loves to sit on your lap and will roll over for a belly rub when she hears people (she can't see us, but her hearing is great).

The Humane Society Of Morgan County is looking for Crippled Critter Sponsors to help defray the cost of Cyndi’s eye surgery as well as a permanent, loving home where she can live out her years in a happy, caring environment. If you’d like to help please call us at 706-343-9977.

The Humane Society of Morgan County, Inc. exists for the purposes of preventing cruelty to, relieving the suffering of, and providing humane treatment for animals. It is also the HSMC’s function to determine, and then to eliminate, the causes of animal suffering through various means, including, but not limited to education, legislation and general promotion of the humane ethic. Under no circumstances shall the HSMC permit an animal in its care or custody to undergo any experimentation, nor shall it release an animal for any such experimentation.

The HSMC is made up of volunteers dedicated to the welfare of companion animals. All animals that come into our care are housed in foster homes until they can be matched with a carefully screened, permanent home. While in our care, they are spayed or neutered, vaccinated, dewormed, treated for any illnesses or injuries, and started on quality heartworm and flea prevention. In addition to rescue and adoption, we provide financial assistance for spaying/neutering, an annual reduced-cost vaccination clinic as well as educational materials for the community.

HSMC Teams Up With
City Of Madison and
Altered Feral State in the First “Trap/Neuter/Release” Collaborative Effort in Georgia

At their meeting on Monday, July 13, 2009, the Madison City Council voted unanimously to approve a TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) program to reduce and manage the feral cat population within the city limits of Madison .  This partnership between a local government and a Georgia licensed 501(c)(3) rescue is the first collaborative effort of it’s kind in the State of Georgia . 
 
Cindy Wiemann, Director of Madison’s Animal Control department told the Council that after 10 years, the one area that she was not gaining ground was in her efforts to reduce the city’s feral cat population. 
 
Taking a proactive approach, Wiemann contacted Carolee McKay, Director and founder of Altered Feral State , a 501(c)(3) licensed GA rescue located in Oxford , GA that specializes in TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) of feral cat colonies.  Together they submitted a proposal to the City for a community-based program of TNR for the feral and free-roaming cats within the city limits of Madison .
 
The City of Madison will provide a facility to use as a staging area for holding cats during TNR projects as well as the funds to purchase the traps and equipment.  The City will also fund the initial pilot projects to TNR the first 60 cats.  Altered Feral State’s expertise in the this area as well as their licensed 501(c)(3) status will make it possible for all areas of the community to make tax-deductible donations for the on-going operation.
 
At a time when local governments have to reduce their budgets, City Manager, David Nunn , does not see TNR as an additional expense, but rather “an investment in the future”.  By adopting and funding the initial start-up costs for TNR, Mr. Nunn said that taxpayer resources will actually be saved by reducing the feral cat population through TNR before it gets out of control. 
 
The Humane Society of Morgan County is also partnering in this proactive solution by pledging $2,000.00 towards sterilization.  Volunteers will also be assisting with the TNR program through education, transport vehicle, sponsorships, and placement of adoptable cats & kittens.
 
So far, in 2009, Altered Feral State has TNR’d 305 adult cats in 29 feral colonies in Walton, Newton, Rockdale and Jasper counties and removed 115 kittens.  The kittens are socialized, fully vetted and placed for adoption.  The adult cats are returned to their colony properties after being neutered, eartipped and vaccinated where they will be fed and cared for by their caregivers.  These colonies are now stable with no more kittens being born and the nuisance behaviors - fighting, spraying, yowling, roaming, etc., greatly reduced or eliminated.
 
For more information on TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return), visit Altered Feral State ’s website at
www.alteredferalstate.org.