Fifty-two animals were euthanized out of 224 intakes in the Lowndes County Animal Shelter during November, which equals a 23% euthanasia rate, excluding animals euthanized at the request of their owners.

This is relatively low and quite positive compared to the statistics from years past, such as 2000, for example, when 91% of all animals entering the Lowndes County Animal Shelter lost their lives to euthanasia.

Twenty-nine out of 224 animals were owners requesting euthanasia of their animals, or 9% of the animals euthanized during the month.

Seventy-three out of 224 intakes, or approximately 33 percent, were transferred to animal rescue organizations. I applaud Ms. Linda Patelski, the Lowndes County Animal Shelter director, shelter personnel, animal rescue volunteers, animal rescue organizations, and the public who foster, adopt, donate, sponsor, volunteer, and advocate for working together to find homes for so many animals. Well done!

Many other counties in Georgia need this record of government-volunteer cooperation and achievement. Sadly, some Georgia counties, such as Echols County, next door, do not even have an animal shelter and depend solely on volunteers for animal welfare. We are far ahead of those counties and proudly so.

Please continue to support the Lowndes County Animal Shelter and our animal rescue organizations so innocent lives can be saved. At the same time, please continue to promote spaying and neutering and responsible pet ownership and animal welfare management in Lowndes County and throughout Georgia. These problems have existed for a long time and will only be solved with the collective efforts of our political officials and the public.

Burton Fletcher, JD, MBA

President, Burton Fletcher Foundation for Animals, Inc.

www.BurtonFletcher Foundation.org