Stephens Humane Shelter Takes in 77 Cats from One Location

The Toccoa-Stephens County Humane Shelter is seeking the public’s help after taking in 77 cats from one location earlier this week.

Shelter Director Jeff Roberts said it started with the Georgia Department of Agriculture contacting Animal Control about the cats, which were at a location on DeFoor Road.

Roberts said that Animal Control and the Animal Shelter then went out to meet with the people involved.

“We set up a time to go out and try to get these animals from the individuals involved,” said Roberts.  “They were able to get them to release the animals to the shelter in the best interest of the animals’ care.  It just was not a proper care environment, both for normal feeding and cleaning and for veterinary care.  There were at least 26 animals that were sick and we started medication on them already.”

Roberts said that the situation had become a matter of that the people, whom Roberts says were licensed as a cat rescue, could not keep up with the care for the numbers that they had.

All 77 cats went to the Humane Shelter on Scenic Drive.

Roberts said that has created a severe space crunch at the shelter.

“That is over the twice the number of cats that we would normally handle and we stay perpetually full, so we have animals in every nook and cranny that we can get them in the shelter,” said Roberts.

Roberts said the shelter needs any help of time, money, or supplies that the public can provide to help care for these cats.

“We need volunteers or potential volunteers to come out and help us get them squared away,” said Roberts.  “We can also use supplies like bath cloths and bleach since we have to provide bedding for all of these animals.”

For more information on how to help, contact the Toccoa-Stephens County Humane Shelter at 706-282-3275.

As for the individuals, Roberts said he did not believe charges were filed in the case, adding that many times charges are not filed in cases like this if the people agree to turn the animals over to the shelter as happened here.