Society of Humane Friends-Winder

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News:On the weekend of Feb. 4th-5th [Superbowl Weekend], Soc. of Humane Friends-Winder will be holding adoptions on Sun. the 5th rather than our usual Sat. times. Please note that this applies only to the Winder Chapter and only for the designated dates. We apologize for any inconvenience to our regular visitors; individual appts will still be available during the following week--please call to arrange. Regularly scheduled adoptions will resume next weekend. JOIN PETSMART IN CELEBRATING A NATIONAL ADOPTION WEEKEND EVENT this coming weekend, on Feb. 10-12th. Our group will be at the store on the afternoon of Feb. 11th.

PLEASE CONSIDER DONATING some dry dog food or cat food to feed the foster dogs/cats in our program. Volunteer foster parents could REALLY use your help with donations during this difficult recession. We are a registered 501-3C nonprofit group, so you can claim donations on your taxes as permitted by law.
Please call 678-MEOW-NAP if you have any questions, want a particular pet brought to adoptions at the Petsmart, or would like to schedule a one-to-one pet visit outside of weekend adoptions. Please DO leave a message on voicemail so we'll be able to return your call--unfortunately, we don't have the volunteers to answer the line in person much of the time. Requests for intakes at this time may NOT always receive a call back due to the fact we are at or over capacity and cannot accept new pets EXCEPT RETURNS OF PETS PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED FROM US at any point in the past.
For all recent dog/catfood donations to our shelter, THANK YOU WITH ALL OUR HEART (and tummies). Blessings from our homes to all of yours who have made monetary or food donations during 2011-12 for all your generous, helping hands in tough economic times!!

***NOTICE*NOTICE*NOTICE***As we've been posting here since early Summer '10, we're under a mandatory requirement to sharply reduce our adoptive inventory that has become rather crowded due to the poor economy's impact on adoption rates. We'd like to thank the other rescue individuals & pet-related businesses that have responded over the summer to this distress call & helped keep our vetted pets from being put down by Animal Control. We STILL have SEVERAL PETS REMAINING THAT MUST BE PLACED QUICKLY but still in good, screened homes. In order to motivate adoptions during this recession, we're CONTINUING to sharply mark down adoption fees on ALL mixed-breed pets to a trivial $35-$100 adoption fee (including all vetting), regularly $110-180.
WHY THE FEE? In case the match doesn't work out, we still want some motive to return the pet safely rather than leave it on the street or dump it at the pound. Please note that it is against both rescue group policy AND the various petstore Adoption Partner regulations where adoptions are promoted to give out pets gratis to anyone who wants, without concern for whether they'll take humane care of, and keep, the pets. Foster homes in this rescue pay all vet costs OUT OF POCKET and seldom have adequate donations to fully "sponsor" any one pet's needs or even the week's food supply. Also, we're absolutely committed to avoiding pet flippers (resellers to flea markets and on-line sites seeking to pocket a profit with no regard to screening applicants or follow-up with the home); nor do we want them winding up as "free snake food" for pet pythons/boas, etc., nor as "live bait" for dog fighters--for more info, please see Petfinder info on "Why pay any adoption fee?".

We're NOT COMPLETELY OUT OF THE WOODS yet as far as ongoing inspections (progress acceptable so far but needing to continue). We're deeply grateful to the individual families & a few other businesses that have responded so far to this crisis. We're a no-kill shelter, and the pets are in good health/ fully vetted or are under current treatment for any present health concerns;
After 10+ yrs of doing rescue/adoptions in the Lawrenceville /Duluth and now Winder areas, you can rest assured we stand behind our pets, and that none is neglected or in harm's way. We've always passed inspection previously, and can offer several vet references familiar with the care we give. Every pet receives approximately $150-$250 in vetting care costs, but as mentioned above, to promote these adoptions during difficult economic times, we're STEEPLY SLASHING ADOPTION FEES as low as JUST $35-55 FOR ADULT CATS (mixed) and as low as JUST $50-95 FOR A FULLY VETTED DOG (mixed breed) because we would rather incur the debt than SEE THESE CUTE, SWEET, ADOPTABLE PETS RISK RETURNING TO DIE at Animal Control because of their objection to quantity of fosters . PLEASE NOTE that we've never had a citation or health violation issued, and all pets come with a refundable 30-day trial period. Pets are kept up to date with vaccines/exams, and seen regularly by their veterinarian every year or more, including returning immediately whenever a health issue arises.
Also, we will NOT BE ABLE TO ACCEPT ANY MORE INTAKES at this time, although we do accept lifetimes returns of pets adopted FROM US in the event of a crisis preventing the adoptive family from continuing care of the adopted pet.

PLEASE HELP CROSS-POST AND CIRCULATE THIS SITUATION and the advantages that this sale offers to willing families that can help provide new, lasting homes or alternative fosters to divert tragedy from these innocent pets who already escaped Death Row one time to receive good care and vetting, to wait in safety for a second chance at a good home. None of them deserves to return to lethal injection just because their forever families are taking longer to find them these days.

General Notice: In the rare event that very inclement weather or illness prevents us from attending Saturday adoptions as scheduled, our "backup" schedule will be on Sunday from about 1:45-4:45PM. Thank you.

Who We Are: We are a tiny group of dedicated volunteers who strive to obtain second chances to have a good, fulfilling, well treated life for pets who were dumped at local high-kill county shelters to die or picked up by animal control and never reclaimed; those with physical impairments such as broken limbs or positive heartworm tests who needed treatment beyond the former owners' means; neglected, abused, or untraceable stray pets turned into us to find a better living situation; and victims of the economy who were thrown out, abandoned, or "left behind" due to a foreclosure, eviction, or family breakup situation. The pets live in a foster family situation as if they were our own pets until they find their forever families.
We are a NO-KILL SHELTER, meaning we do not euthanize healthy, placeable pets in order to make room for more incoming animals; therefore, our space is severely limited until adoptions open up a new spot. This means we MAY NOT HAVE ROOM FOR NEW TURN-INS when you contact us. Please also note that Petsmart does NOT PERMIT any public animal turn-ins at the store.
In addition to spaying/neutering, vaccinations, heartworm or leukemia/FIV testing, microchipping, and monthly preventatives, we frequently administer housetraining, confidence building, gender-specific fear diminishment, and other forms of rehabilitative training. The lead foster mom/adoption coordinator of the Winder chapter holds a master's degree in behavioral science and enjoys working with pets who need a little extra help to reach adoptable status.
All daily operating expenses come entirely out of our own pockets, including paying retail vets for procedures; therefore, we are hugely dependent on donations by animal lovers such as yourself. We are a licensed, nonprofit entity which means donations are tax deductible as permitted by law. Note that SOHF-Winder is under the general parent organization of Society of Humane Friends-GA, managed by Dennis Kronenfeld. Thanks for visiting our site and we hope to see you on Saturday at Winder Petsmart!

Adopting a friend

PLEASE SEE NOTICE UNDER "NEWS" ABOUT OUR "30 CATS IN 30 DAYS" CAMPAIGN, with steeply cut adoption fees, TO SAVE THE VETTED KITTY CATS & PUPS ALREADY IN OUR FOSTER PROGRAM from being euthanized.

The goal of our rescue is to seek out successful, permanent matches between available pets and interested adoptive families. We use a screening application, short interview, and depending on circumstances, may require a before OR after-adoption home checkup on the pet's progress/living situation. We at all times reserve the right to refuse any adoption for any reason.
Certain bully breeds (pitbulls and pit mixes, rottweillers and rottie mixes, bulldogs, bull mastiffs, boxer mixes, presa canarios, etc). may REQUIRE a yard/fencing inspection prior to adoption per local animal control ordinances; this is local and/or county law regarding public safety, and we cannot make exceptions.
Because we believe in the healthy socialization and pack mentality of dogs and strive to keep our pets as safe as possible before and after adoption, NO PET WILL BE ADOPTED AS AN OUTDOOR-ONLY ANIMAL.

Also, we do NOT PERMIT DECLAWING which involves amputating the bone of the first joint of each finger and can have extensive behavioral complications. We may, however, have declawed cats available from time to time. In order to avoid feline leukemia (FeLV) and feline AIDS (FIV) infection as well as traffic hazards, plant & rodent poisonings, and getting eaten by predators, CATS MUST BE KEPT INDOORS. Of course, a screened-in sunporch, designated outdoor cat enclosure, or outings via leash/harness are acceptable & enjoyed very much by the cat.

Come Visit Us!

We show our pets every Saturday afternoon (Approx. 2:45 to 6:45 PM) at the Winder Petsmart, located at 916 Loganville Hwy in Bethlehem, GA 30620. The store phone # is 770-307-4856. Individual appointments in the Lawrenceville/Duluth/ Lilburn area of our major foster home are also available by arrangement (for example, around Gwinnett Mall area). Important: If you wish to view a particular pet, PLEASE call ahead (by Friday evening) and let us know. We strive to rotate the selection of animals brought to Adoptions on any given Saturday, but there's no guarantee your pet of interest will be included unless you let one of us know to be sure to bring him/her!

In the rare event that very inclement weather or illness prevents us from attending Saturday adoptions as scheduled, our "backup" schedule will be on Sunday from about 1:45 or 2 until 4 or 4:30 PM. Thank you.
FURTHER DIRECTIONS: From the Sugarloaf and Cruse Road entrance (Lawrenceville) onto 316 East, drive approximately 14 miles east and exit to the right at Hwy 81. Turn left at Carl Bethlehem Road, and Petsmart will be on the left, in the same shopping complex with Target, Publix, Staples, and Belks, across the street from Home Depot. Petsmart is at the very end of the plaza, closest to the last entrance, marked only Belk's.