Hart County Humane Society Celebrates 15 Years of Rescue/Adoptions

The Hart County Humane Society is celebrating 15 years of rescuing and placing dogs and cats into loving homes.

Fifteen years ago, there was no local rescue and no spay/neuter program, only a small rural animal shelter where 80% of the animals that entered didn’t make it out.

Humane Society founder and president Donna Madkiff said she decided to get involved and start a humane society after the good response she received from the community.

“We walked Depot St at the first festival and handed out flyers asking if they would like to be a part of forming a Hart County Humane Society,” Madkiff said. “People didn’t think it wouldn’t work out but we had 120 show up to our first meeting. So, we were encouraged and that’s how we started. The mission has always been to save cats and dogs from the shelter.”

Since then, the Hart County Humane Society has rescued and placed into loving homes 5,500 dogs and cats, most saved from the Northeast Georgia Animal Shelter.

And over the years, Madkiff said the Hart County Humane Society has evolved to not only do adoptions but to help educate the public on the importance of preventing unwanted litters of puppies and kittens.

Madkiff said the only way to stop the pet overpopulation problem is to stop it at the source.

“Our spay/neuter program is just over 5,000 low-cost certificates that have been provided to the community,” she said. “Because I really believe that if you don’t help the community stop making so many unwanted animals it’s not going to work, they’re (litters) are just going to keep coming.”

Madkiff said the low-cost spay/neuter certificates are easy to get. They’re available at the Northeast Georgia Animal Shelter and at their Mauldin Animal Sanctuary on Reed Creek Highway. It’s $20 for cats because they’re so many of them and $50 for a dog.

“We’re very grateful for Royston Animal Hospital, Lake Hartwell Vet, Hartwell Animal Hospital for supporting us and accepting our certificates,” she said.

This Saturday, the Hart County Humane Society will be at HartOberFest with adoptable dogs and spay/neuter certificates.

Madkiff said they always need donations to help care for the foster dogs, cats, puppies, and kittens in their foster program.

Right now, she said their greatest needs are Purina dry and canned kitten food, Purina Pro Plan dry puppy food, Purina One adult dry and canned foods, kitten milk replacer, and puppy pads.

You drop food and supply donations off at their animal sanctuary on Reed Creek Highway or call the Hart County Humane Society at 706-376-1769.