Peach County Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation closing, looking for homes for 34 dogs
Founder Tammy Fairchild says she made the difficult decision to close the rescue facility because it became financially unmanageable.
FORT VALLEY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Peach County Animal Rescue & Rehabilitation is set to close its doors at the end of July and needs help finding homes for 34 rescue dogs.
Since 2009, Peach County Animal Rescue & Rehabilitation has served as the only form of animal control in the county. The rescue nonprofit provided training for stray and abandoned dogs and paid for veterinary bills, housing and relocation.
The rescue’s founder, Tammy Fairchild, says the shelter has relied on her personal finances, donations from the community and support from other shelters to stay open.
“Our dogs are fully vetted, currently, on heartworm and flea prevention, microchipped, and we can tell you something about them. They have a personality,” Fairchild said.
With support shelters at full capacity and the cost of animal welfare on the rise, Fairchild she had to make the difficult decision to close the rescue.
“I have a real concern for what’s gonna happen now, and I just pray that our commissioners will listen and understand the need in this county and get animal control moving in the right direction,” she said.
Peach County Commissioner Wade Yoder says the county Board of Commissioners has approved a location and selected a contractor to build a new animal control facility, but progress has been slow.
“I am very worried about the gap in services between now and when we actually have the facility open,” Yoder said.
Yoder has since advocated for a partial animal control ordinance in the county for a third party facility until the new facility is built.
“But it stalled a little while back, and I was hoping that could be put in place to side-step this very thing of the pressure that’s been on animal rescue in the area,” he said.
Since announcing the rescue would close, Fairchild has received national support. She says she has been able to extend the deadline to find homes for the dogs thanks to continued donations from the community.
“Our mission statement has always been, ‘We are the voice for the voiceless,’ and that’s what we continue to be, and we will be until every dog on this property has a home or a rescue to go to,” she said.
Adoption fees have dropped from $350 to $100, and rescue staff are willing to transport dogs to their new homes for free.
Commissioner Yoder says he expects the new animal control facility to open in Peach County by February 2024.
To donate or see the dogs up for adoption, you can visit Peach County Animal Rescue & Rehabilitation at their website or on Facebook.
