- In the past, stray animals were often euthanized, but now adoption is the focus.
- Thomasville Humane has rescued and adopted hundreds of animals each year, with a 97% save rate.
- The stray animal problem now stems from irresponsible pet ownership, with education and sterilization efforts crucial to control the issue.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
From hunting dogs to house pets, the way we care for animals has changed—but so has the challenge of strays.
I'm exploring the rise of pet adoption and the growing need for animal care.
"So, for as long as Thomasville has been around, there has been an issue with stray pets, stray dogs specifically, where you have hunting and a hunting culture like in Thomas County, then you have the additional issue where a lot of times there are dog breeders and then you get additional dogs," said Ephraim Rotter, curator at the History Center.
Back then, animals were tools. Dogs were bred for hunting or guarding, and if they weren't doing that, they'd be euthanized.
But by the '50s and '60s, more people started keeping pets.
And as pets became more common, so did the problem of stray animals.
Thomasville had just one dog catcher, and by the 1970s, the Humane Society formed to address the issue.
" We've used them in hunting applications and working applications, but also just in now, in a family setting, in a mental health capacity, just day-to-day reasons to be and reasons to get up and go. And so for a lot of people, their pet may be the only reason that's pushing them," said Chandler Giddes, Director of Thomasville Humane.
Today, Thomasville Humane is a vital part of our community.
In 2024, they saved or adopted out 672 animals, with a 97% save rate.
"We estimate that 80% of Americans have one or more pets in the home," said Giddes.
The stray problem now stems from irresponsible pet ownership.
Unsterilized animals reproduce at a much higher rate, making education and support crucial.
"We keep pets in our homes. We keep pets in our yards. We keep pets in apartments and townhouses and really space is not a consideration, right? But they procreate, they reproduce at a far greater rate than we do. And so it's a simple number. We cannot simply have unsterilized animals reproducing, we can't adopt our way out of that," said Giddes.
Since parting ways with Thomas County Animal Services, Thomasville Humane has focused on educating the public about responsible pet ownership through programs like Donuts with Director.
Another great resource in our neighborhood is Spay and Neuter Clinic, which has completed over 70,000 surgeries since opening in 2015.
If you want to help make a change, Thomasville Humane and Pebble Hill are hosting Tails & Trails on March 30to raise awareness and funds for animal care.
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